Purgatory's No Picnic Either
by Pemberly Rose
Summary: An outtake in 5 parts from Life in Technicolor's chapters 15-20 for the Fandom4tsunami compilation. All in Jacob POV. A tale of what happens when the Volturi pay a little visit and the aftermath from Jacob's view of things
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I wrote this outtake for the fandom4tsunami compilation this past spring. These outtakes are in all Jacob POV from chapters (end of) 15-20 in Life in Technicolor. I'm currently working on ch 27 as ch 26 sits in my beta's inbox while he is enjoying his summer vacation. Have no fear there will be more updates on that and Breathe Me.**

**This is also dedicated to my lovies - Todream, ElvenIvy, Charlybrownskie, and the rest of my J/N girls. My lovely beta octoberiste who is simply one of the best people I know even though we've never met IRL. Without my beta, and my lovely prereaders in Todream, and Charly, IDK how I could have delivered this massive outtake lol. **

_Part one playlist:_

_The Last Man by Clint Mansell  
><em>_Be Somebody by Kings of Leon  
><em>_Rock is Dead by Marilyn Manson  
><em>_Wish by Nine Inch Nails  
><em>_My Suffering by Dead by Sunrise  
><em>_Holy Dread! by Clint Mansell_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Jacob<em>**

**No One Ever Said The Joys of Heaven and The Horrors of Hell Were Mutually Exclusive**

_And purgatory's no picnic either._

Part One

First mistake of the night was thinking about the bomb, a single letter delivered as I drove my bike back to my house from my Dad's. My brain was about the equivalent of the desolation post-detonation. I was playing with fire just by trying to head home before patrol. Distracted and driving a very expensive, very fast Ducati was not a good idea. Could you really blame me? Ever since the words came out of her mouth, my imagination took the concept and went all Olympic marathon runner with it. Cursing, I pulled up to the house and drove my bike into the garage.

My second mistake of the evening was entering the house before listening to make sure I wasn't walking in on anything private. At least it was just Amber and Leah. A thankfully clothed Amber and Leah. In the kitchen, Leah and Amber were giggling and kissing in front of the refrigerator. An amusing site for sure. Still I didn't want to interrupt the moment for them but that was inevitable. I cleared my throat rather loudly, which got Leah's attention. "Didn't think you'd be back before patrol tonight," she said, a bit bewildered as to why I was here.

"Need a nap before I go. It's not for another hour or so," I explained. She nodded in understanding. Patrol, thankfully, was boring and more about tradition than anything else lately. Although there was always a chance of a nomad passing through - who did not know that this was protected land - could cross our path. This happened every once in a great while; however, since the Cullens moved back to Washington, that had become an even more scarce event. Other vamps knew this was - at least to them - part of Cullen territory. In some weird way, that actually helped me sleep easier knowing that if, per chance, someone came to start something that we'd at least have backup. Guess the treaty was good for something.

"You look upset," Amber noted. I sighed and shrugged. Her eyes narrowed. Damned woman was observant for a human. Worse than Bella ever had been. "'Fess up. Did you and Ness have a fight?"

I shook my head. Thank God we hadn't. It was a rarity, sure, but when she and I disagreed on something it was usually a pretty big deal.

Leah gave me a look and I mentally pleaded with her to drop it. "No such luck. What's going on?" she asked, going all big sister on me. Like I needed another one of those. I had two already, thank you very much.

I sighed loudly and explained the letter Nahuel sent Ness. I got the exact reaction I expected, two sets of very wide eyes. "Yeah, exactly."

Amber grinned widely and clapped her hands together like she was excited by the prospect. "Dude, you two can have a family now? How amazing is that?"

"It's not that simple. What was possible for one might not be possible for her. And she's half vampire, I'm a wolf - do you even realize how different any kid of ours would be? Talk about an identity crisis."

She chuckled and smacked my shoulder, which felt much more like a pat. "Hey, I've had an identity crisis, and its scary, sure, but I made it out all right."

Leah beamed at her girl, proud of her optimism. I grinned at Amber, because, really, you found yourself doing that a lot around the girl. She's worse than Seth with the happy. "Yeah, I don't even want to think about it and get my hopes up if it's not possible."

Amber nodded. I told them both good night, planning on a short nap before patrol. Trudging to my bedroom, I collapsed onto the bed face first into the pillows. This was mistake number three. Renesmee's scent was all over the one I buried my face into. Exactly what I didn't need right now to clear my head – more thoughts of her, even better, thoughts of her here and none of which involved sleeping. The idea of what happened with the sister was in my head and wouldn't get out. Instead of one hybrid with a rounded stomach I saw Ness, glowing, happy with her hands cradling her abdomen protectively, a ring on her left ring finger.

_Damn it._

I rolled onto my back. It was completely futile to get the image out of my head now. It was everything I wanted for us in the future. Happiness, pure and unadulterated. We still had such a long way to go before any normal couple would even think like this. Then again, we'd never been normal. Watching her grow up, seeing her go from this innocent baby to this grown woman was quite the transformation. I could see it all like one of those animated flip books. The ones where you flip the pages quickly and the monster truck flies through a flaming hoop, or the bird flies from tree to open sky. It felt like it happened far faster than it had, even with her accelerated growth rate. I loved watching her grow up and just act like any normal kid; she was more exceptional than any snot-nosed human.

So who the hell was I to think I should have anything with her? That I deserved to be the one she called her lover, and maybe father of her kid someday? Sure, she's with me now, but she could leave me. And where would that leave me? Broken. Again. Only this time it would be much, much worse. It was the one thing I would always hate about the imprint. She held the power here, all the cards rested with her whims. In the beginning, I was obsessive about keeping her choices open, letting her decide for herself what she wanted to the extreme. Sixteen years later, I finally have a taste of how perfect my life could be, and I'm scared to fucking death of her ability to choose. One thing I learned — if anything else, there was one, universal truth about love — it gave someone the power to break you.

Maybe it was why she wouldn't tell her family about us. Or even say the one thing I wanted to hear even more desperately than the news that she and I could very well have a family. What if she was just trying this on for size? See how it felt, how it fit, only to decide she didn't actually want to buy it?

When in the hell did I go all angst-ridden again? _Such a damn patsy_. If only she could see what was going on in my head, she'd never have agreed to try this relationship that I'd been craving for a damned decade but had played the dutiful wolf and kept my mouth shut. I was certain she cared for me. Confident that she at least wanted to be with me. But there was always a chance that could change. I hardly, if ever, let that uncertainty show in front of her with rare exception.

One image came to mind as I raked my hands over my face. Ness's smiling face. But she wasn't smiling at me. No, that particular expression was directed at _him_. I shouldn't hate him. He'd never done anything for me to have such a judgment against him. His only offense was that she held him in such high regard. Fate would be a cruel, cruel mistress if she chose him. To be passed over, not once but twice would surely kill me this time. The memory of the echoing pain I felt when Bella married Edward was nothing compared to what kind of anguish Ness had the power to wield. Say she does choose him after all. Will she ever know what a decision like that would do to me? Never. I knew the imprint that much that if she found happiness elsewhere I'd swallow any pride I had left and be happy for her. After all is said and done, that's the only thing I wanted for her. The only thing I could ever want for her. I just prayed that I did the job better than anyone else.

Her voice came into my head then, reminding me that she was mine, if only for the present. She wanted to be with me, not him. She could have started something with him when she was in South America, but she hadn't. The proof of which I had because I was the first to kiss her. The first to introduce her to what it felt like to desire someone. I knew this because anytime some invisible boundary was breached she was surprised at the intensity. I didn't need to read her mind to know that much. It was plain in her eyes as much as it was corroborated with her sounds. And the result? She wanted me to be the one to touch and kiss her.

Not him. _Me_.

The greedy possessive side of me was far too pleased with that, mulling over the memory of her in my office this morning. Though my imagination went much, much farther than what had actually happened because that's where you'd want to have her the first time? In your office, on your desk with half a dozen grease monkeys just on the other side of the door. Yeah, that's all kinds of romantic. I didn't care, though. I held the pillow closer to my face and breathed in, letting myself drown in that scent. True, it wasn't quite the same as the one this morning. Her normal scent was fuller and far more enticing than any scent in the world, chock full of pheromones and a bloom of arousal. I'm such a sick fuck; the fact she was getting turned on had made me want to push all the books off my desk, do the same with her skirt, and drive myself into her. The way she held my hand to her chest told me that someday, in the future, she might be down for that. I groaned and put the pillow aside.

No, if it were honestly up to me, it'd be here, exactly where I'm laying right now. The first night I came home from patrol to find her passed out here, book in hand, I thought seriously, for a millisecond about it - maybe more than a millisecond. Having her sleep here occasionally, it was becoming more and more difficult to keep my hands to myself. You know what they say about idle hands and all that. So I kept them occupied, on her back, in her hair. Anything to keep them from wandering into places that we were just beginning to explore. I glanced over at the clock. Guess I'm not getting a damn nap. I get up and head to the bathroom to shower.

* * *

><p>"Hope it's a boring night for you!" Amber called out.<p>

I chuckled and thanked her for the good luck wish. It was an odd distinction between jobs. At the garage I prayed for it to be busy as hell, but on patrol? A nice slow night with nothing going on was the kind of night you hoped for and usually got. It was a rare occurrence that anything happened near the Rez anymore. I stepped out of my house and something felt off. The night was too quiet, the air far too still. Patrol was going to suck tonight. It wasn't something you could just see coming, but I felt it. There was a change in the air. The weather was changing again, the skies were a bleak and angry black color with no stars and no moon. It was completely overcast. Running patrol in the rain was one of the suckiest things about running. I will never understand why Ness loves running in the rain so much. Seth and Quil were already phased from the yowling I could hear. Sounded more like Quil was amused than anything else.

I tore off my shorts, tying them in the leather cord around my ankle. I closed my eyes as I let the change take over me. The heat pooled in my spine before exploding outwards through every nerve and cell, reshaping it into something other. A wolf on steroids. A mutant. Every once in a while when I changed, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme song would pop in my head, but I would change the "turtle" to "werewolf"... even though I was no longer a teenager. When I opened my eyes again, my perspective had changed, bringing me up a few more feet. I stretched back a little, letting the muscles tense and relax before I took off to meet them. Quil heard me first.

_Hey man, you seem kind of out of it..._

Seth was next to jump in on the way my day turned out. _Whoa. Seriously? _

I rolled my eyes and huffed, the air coming out as a snort through my muzzle. _Can we not talk about this? Distract me with your lives, please._ I answered them, deflecting their overly curious minds. I didn't want to discuss it anymore. If I did I'd run the risk of doing something completely and utterly stupid like getting my hopes up. Nope, definitely not a good idea for that.

_Why not? It's good to be optimistic. _I didn't have to recognize the voice. The phrasing gave the thoughts away as to which one it was.

_Either distract me or shut the hell up, Seth._

_Shutting... Geesh, I was just sayin'..._

_I know, and I don't want to hear it tonight._

Quil was talking already, going on about Claire and how she's trying to graduate early. _I think she just wants to get married. I don't want her to rush, but she's more stubborn than Leah when she has her mind set on something._

I barked out a laugh. _Claire is just excited, cut her some slack, Quil. If anything, you should be pissed at yourself for proposing before she graduated._

He gave me the mental equivalent of a shrug.

We fanned out, the three of us. Quil stayed up to the East of the Rez, Seth to the North, and I stayed towards the South. If you could get up high enough you could almost see Hoquiam. That made the pain reverberating in my chest less. I knew where she was, home, safe, probably reading before passing out for the night. I tried not to feel the disappointment that I couldn't sleep next to her. That was always the best.

_It is, isn't it? Waking up in the morning and she's the first thing you see? I hate it when I can't do that with Claire. _

_Ugh, patrolling with Leah would have been better than listening to you two_, Seth chimed in.

_Sure, then you'd get a bird's eye view to what I walked in on this evening._ I said, showing them both the scene I witnessed in the kitchen. Sure, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for the two of them, and it certainly wasn't something that was going to make Leah pissed at me for intentionally sharing, either. Seth groaned. He liked Amber, hell, treated her like another sister, but just like I loathed the sight of Paul kissing my sister, it was nearly the same for him. Its one of the things you just deal with in a pack mind. Over the rocks and through the trees I could finally see a break in the clouds. The moon shone through, but the rain was coming, and soon. The musty scent of wet earth was all around me, and the barometer changed just a degree or two.

_Rain's coming in from the Northwest. Big system coming down from Alaska, bringing all kinds of swells too._ _Might actually get to surf this weekend, _Seth remarked.

_You know, with a name like Clearwater, you could make it as a weatherman._

_Meteorologist._

Quil laughed. _See, he's perfect for it, don't you think?_

_He certainly has the personality for it._ I added, though the image of Seth in a suit, pantomiming in front of a green screen and camera was pretty ridiculous.

_I hate you both sometimes, really._

Things were going to be like this all night. At least it was these two knuckleheads I had to keep me company. I realized a moment later that instead of staying near the Rez, I was subtly trying to make my way south. I hung a left and came back up towards the boundary line. Quil would loop around Forks tonight. I'd make one myself just after dawn to check on Charlie. I couldn't wait to get home. More importantly, Ness should be on her way here in just a few hours. That eased the compulsion just a little bit. Knowing that I'd see her always made the separation just a little easier to deal with.

_Uh, guys, I found a scent... _Seth announced in the same instant the scent registered in his mind. My hackles rose as I took in what he was smelling almost as if I were right next to him. It was sickly sweet, that burning sweet smell that made me hesitate for a moment. It wasn't a Cullen or anyone from the Denali clan. I tried to remember where exactly the scent was from. I remembered it, as I ran through the nomads and other covens in my head when it dawned on me. _Volturi._

It was Felix. It was a scent you never forgot even after sixteen years. _Track it, Seth, if you find him do not attack, you'll need back up with that bloodsucker. _

_Should I get the others?_

_We should wait to sound the alarm until we know for sure Felix has breached the line. _Quil offered, not wanting to cause a bigger problem.

Thing was, Felix was here for a reason, whatever that was. An uncomfortable knot formed in my stomach as I realized how dangerously close the leech was to our land. I couldn't risk the tribe like that. _No, sound it now. Go get Leah and get her to wake everyone up. If we're going to track this guy tonight, we're going to need the others in case he gets by us. _

_What do you think is going on?_

_Caius hates us, remember? I wouldn't put it past him to order him to kill the entire tribe just to smoke the pack out._ I stopped dead when I picked up a scent, just a mile east of the treaty line near the southern border. Only it wasn't Felix this time; it was their tracker, Demetri. Tracking us, no doubt. I wished Bella could extend her shield out over great distances now more than ever. _Wait on getting Leah, guys. Demetri is here too. Too much at risk with Amber at the house._ The three of us did the next best thing to sound the alarm. Leaning back, the three of us bayed at the sky, howling a warning and an SOS all in one. Felix, the three of us could handle alone, but Felix and Demetri? That would be a stupid move that would get one of us killed. _Maybe I'm an idiot, but I'm definitely not down for dying tonight, how about you two?_

_Uh yeah, no, _Quil replied. Aside from the situation at hand, the idea of never seeing Claire again stabbed him in the chest. Exactly my point. The thought of never seeing Ness again was just not an option.

_Ditto over here._

Leah was the first to phase after the alarm. _What's going on?_

_Scents. Volturi. _

_Well fuck._

_Yeah, about sums it up. Get everyone going. This is not a drill._

_Got it, boss. _

_Seth, Quil, stay with me and we'll keep tracking._

The scent wasn't easy to track. It was spotty at best. I looked up above me, nothing in the trees, but he must have been using those to plant markers that I'd pick up. At the end of a quarter mile, the trail turned hot. The burning stink of vampire was fresh and blazed up towards Quil.

_Quil trail's leading me straight to you. Check Forks. _

_Charlie's! _Seth's mind stopped thinking for a full second. His mother would be there, sleeping next to the Chief.

_I got it, bro. Don't worry. I'll make sure Sue's sawin' logs._ Quil ran up to the Swan residence and could hear their heartbeats and snoring.

_Thank God. _

_Quil, check the old Cullen place. They might have come looking for them. _

_Already on my way._ I kept my nose to the ground, tracking Demetri's stench and keeping tabs on everyone. Jared came up next, groggy with sleep.

_You bastards are lucky my wife is pregnant and an insomniac, she was eating ice cream on the porch when she heard the alarm. What's goin'... Oh great... What do you need, Jake?_

_Help Leah organize everyone to watch the Rez. I want this place on lock-down, you get me?_

_Definitely._

Following the trail, the scent was still spotty at best but it was all I had to work with. Two of the Volturi guard were here tonight and they needed to be stopped. The why's and how's of it could be asked later. Containment is the key.

_Should we alert Carlisle?_

It was an option but I didn't want to warn them needlessly. A full pack could certainly handle two vampires, even ones as skilled as these two. Though Edward's gift would be helpful right about now, Bella's too.

_Not yet..._

Quil made it to the old Cullen house and his mind did a short freak out. _What what is it?_

_We've got a third scent. All three of them were here. The third though, man, it's female. _

Each one of my pack immediately had one tiny terrifying face flash through their heads. _Jane._

No one needed to even think her name but all of us were scared to death of that leech. Bella explained the kind of damage she could do and without Bella's protective shield we're all sitting ducks. I cursed loudly, the sound of it coming out as a bark. _Nobody panic. It might not be Jane, just because it's female. There's more than one female leech in the guard. _If it were Jane, though, we needed the only person who could render her useless.

_So what do we do?_

_Quil, Seth, with me south to Hoquiam. If it's Jane, we need to get Bella. Everyone else, stand on guard until you get a visual. Protect the reservation. That's your priority first and foremost._

Quil made it to me within twenty; it took Seth another ten. It made him very uneasy to leave the area. But this was far more important. By chance, if one half of the witch twins was indeed here, then we needed the only person who could protect us. _Why not call her?_

_You got a phone on you? _

_Well no._

_Same for the rest of us. It won't take us long to get there._

_I know I just, it's my sister and Mom, okay?_

_Oh God shut up, Seth. I can handle myself._

_I know, Lee. You're still my blood, and the idea of Jane, Felix, and Demetri anywhere near you or Mom frankly makes me want to vomit._

_Don't worry so much, _she replied. If I'd have been phased back and heard this conversation I would have smiled. The concern for each other was palpable. We went south, going along the coast, trying to use the land as much as we could to keep our exit as stealthy as possible.

As Hoquiam neared, I yelled to Edward in my head, _You're never going to believe what happened on the Rez tonight, Edward. Guess the Volturi have come out to play, _I tell him, showing him how the scents were laid out. Almost there_._ I could see the glow of the house as it sat on the very northern outskirts of town. Loping back into the trees, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. We'd been followed. How had I not noticed? Running along the coast should have kept our exit on the low. I realized, though, they'd kept their distance just enough to make sure we didn't detect them until it was too late. It was clear as crystal to me now that the three vampires weren't interested in eradicating the world of Quileutes. No, they'd laid a trap and I fell into it just as they had hoped. They weren't tracking us to hunt wolves. They were searching for the one thing we were tied to. The one girl that I was bound to and the family to which she belonged.

_Are you sure? I mean they could still be up near the Rez. _Seth remarked, but even deep down, he sensed the same thing I had. It was that feeling of icy fingers crawling down your spine when you thought you were alone.

_Only way to be sure is to stay at the Cullen's, see what they want. If anything happens... If they pull anything, they will die tonight. _Though I was certain we were being followed. It wasn't something you could really see or even tell. The tracker and his companions were slick like that. I should have guessed. Should have anticipated this. They were looking for them and what did I do? I led Demetri right to 'em.

From inside the house I could hear Edward's voice. "Jacob's on his way here," he said through clenched teeth.

The three of us phased when we got near the yard of the house, throwing on our shorts with lightning speed. I could hear them now even with human ears. They weren't even trying to hide anymore. Their cloaks whispered against the brush and timber of the forest floor.

"They caught a scent. But they've been followed. I recognize it just as he does."

"Who?" Carlisle asked.

"Volturi," Edward replied.

"In the damn house, now," I barked, following them. The family was already in protective mode, mate guarding mate. Ness stood with her parents. The pull eased minutely as we came close to one another, but it heightened as I was reminded of the very clear and very present danger at hand. With my back turned to her, I looked over my shoulder seeking out her face. "Are you all right?" I asked. She looked nervous, tense, but there wasn't the least bit of fear present in her features. I tried and failed to temper down the swell of pride at her bravery.

"I'm fine, you?" she replied.

"Jumpy." I almost grinned but shifted on my feet instead. It wasn't easy to keep myself this on edge. The tingling heat and rage I kept pooled inside of me. I wasn't going to take any chances. If they wanted to start a war, they had to make the first strike, but if they did anything, three European vampires were going to die tonight.

"Obviously," she mocked. I could hear the eye-roll that accompanied her words. To my left, Quil snorted. I glanced back at him for a second and scowled. He straightened up then and focused. That's right, game faces on, people.

"Never is a dull moment around here, huh?" Quil asked, looking at Bella. She glanced over at him but paid him no real attention. I knew she must be focusing, shielding all of us in case it was Jane that had come tonight.

At my right stood Seth. With a look, he knew that I was about to do something I hated, but this was a special circumstance. "Get her the hell out of here if one of those leeches so much as tries something," I ordered, letting that deep double timbre come through my voice. Both of them nodded, understanding that when an imprint is at risk, you did anything to make them safe. She is the most important being in this room, and if a fight broke out, I wanted her far from it. I didn't care if she could take care of herself or not. The risk of her dying was not one I would take.

I glanced back at Renesmee for just a moment after I gave the order. I wondered for a split second if this could be the last time I'd see her face. The pain that rippled through my torso at the thought was enough to make me double over, but somehow I stayed vertical, the stress and tension focusing me to do one singular thing. Protect and defend. No matter the cost.

"Which of them is it?" Emmett asked from my right. "The brothers don't leave the tower often," he continued. His tone was more than a tad annoyed with Edward. With the tracker so close now he could certainly hear his thoughts and those of his companions.

_Is it Jane with them?_ I asked, glancing at his face for any semblance of an answer. And there it was, so quick no one else noticed it, and wouldn't have if you weren't looking for it. Edward had shook his head no. I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief that it wasn't the pint-sized terrorist herself, but there were other females on the guard who were just as gifted and just as deadly.

"Not the brothers, three of the guard," Edward curtly answered his brother. Everyone tensed, but at the epicenter of our little group was Jasper, pulsing out his blanket of calm. I wanted to glower at him; keeping me calm right now would only dull my reflexes, even only in a minuscule amount. I guess it was just as well, though. In a fight, Jasper was someone you wanted on your side, empathic ability aside, he was probably the most deadly vamp in the room.

I could hear the ragged breath of Esme behind Carlisle. The anxiety must be killing her. To have her family threatened like this? The look on her face, though, was anything but anxious. The only way to describe it would be something like a lioness protecting her cubs.

All eyes focused on the glass doors leading to the yard and then the forest. Three pairs of footsteps crunched loudly against the grass outside. The only thing that kept me rooted, kept me focused, was the fluttering heartbeat behind me. Safe. Alive. Here. That's what mattered and that's how it was going to stay.

Three figures, cloaked and ominous, came into the home. The whole cloak and dagger routine would have been comical on any other day, but right now it took everything in me not to lunge forward and start ripping limbs. Everyone was ready, waiting for them to speak, to fight, anything to break the intense silence.

The middle one — the one I knew was Demetri just by his size — raised his hand, stopping the other two. Ten feet from us, the essence of everything I hated about vampires stood, cocksure and unafraid that I was mere seconds away from ripping out of my skin to end them.

"Your family is not an easy one to find," he announced. His voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. A creepier voice than Aro's or the Dracula twins, I didn't think it was quite possible, and now? I stand corrected. The smallest of the three fluttered around the two of them like a fussing mother over her children. However, I didn't really get the maternal vibe from shorty over there.

Demetri stared at Bella, the proverbial cramp in his style. I wondered, though, why on earth had they come at all? Caius was all about the carnage. This kind of flourish had Aro's signature all over it. Then again, I didn't know the leech well enough to be the judge of that kind of thing. The three of them removed their cloaks, revealing their identities.

Behind me, Ness's anxiety was palpable. I wanted to reach behind me to let her know I understood, but I didn't. I couldn't. Focus was the key right now, not silly reassurances I couldn't promise to my imprint. In response, Jasper sent out another burst of calming energy. I took it in stride, hoping, beyond any right to hope that he'd keep everyone on an even keel. Felix smirked at the small half-vampire behind me. My eyes narrowed.

_Try it, bloodsucker, I dare you._

The woman with them looked familiar but I wasn't sure of her name. Renee? No, that's Bella's mother's name. I knew it started with an R... Renfield? No. Too Stoker. Renata? Yes, that's it. Aside from that, all I could remember of her was that she was usually hovering around Aro, his personal bodyguard. A physical shield of some kind that worked on your mind. I fought off the grin. As long as Bella was here, she was pretty much useless. The anxiety etched across her face told me she knew that entirely too well.

My stare drifted back to Demetri. His eyes bore into Ness, leering in a way that made me see an even deeper red. He watched her, eyes moving up and down. Nope, not liking that one bit. Was this leech seriously suicidal?

For a moment, his eyes met mine. Call me a possessive bastard all you want, but I tried my very best to communicate just what would happen to him should he lay so much as a finger on her. I'd thoroughly enjoy ripping his stony body to shreds if that were the case. No one, and I mean no one, could look at her like that and get away with it.

Just as I had with Felix, I willed Demetri to be stupid enough to attack. Eight vampires, a hybrid, and three wolves had them sorely outnumbered, not just in numbers but abilities.

He continued to look at Renesmee with an expression that could only be described as predatory. Both Edward and I grit our teeth. Huh, seems I wasn't too far off with my estimation. In that case... _He tries anything, Edward, you're going to let me take out the tick, 'kay?_

Arrogantly, they moved forward, acting like they owned the place. Renata hovering as if she were about to have a heart attack. Which on any other day - the thought of a vampire having a heart attack would have made me chuckle.

"My, my Renesmee... You have grown," Demetri began. Carlisle may have relaxed but three of us were about two seconds away from ripping his head off. "You are truly more beautiful than I expected," he continued moving toward us.

Wow, bloodsucker really _does _have a death wish. Awesome. I'm game if you are, leech.

"My masters will be pleased with your maturation," he added, raking those disgusting red eyes over her again. _Mine_. I felt the heat pool even more in my spine. I was itching to shift and kill this jackass. Bella snarled. Nice. I always wondered what she'd be like if someone so much as glanced at her daughter the wrong way. I saw a piece of it in the clearing sixteen years ago, but it's nice to know Mama Bear is in there and ready to strike. I tried to cover Renesmee, my hand on her bare arm. No wonder he was getting an eye-full. Ness was still in her pajamas, though thankfully they covered her pretty well.

And then Ness did the idiotic. She sidestepped me to keep her eyes on the three of them. Damn it, woman, don't you see I'm trying to protect you here? The tracker moved in again, slow and steady, as if he were handling the entire pack, or a group of newborns.

"You may all relax." _Sure, sure. Will get right on that one._ _Not._ "You see, my masters have sent us here not to provoke a fight."

Defensive positions were relaxed but only enough to signal that we didn't want a fight either. Which we didn't. A fight, though satisfying as it would be, would set in motion a chain of events that would lead, no doubt, to a war. A fight was easy. Over in just a few minutes. A war, however, could take years, centuries if you were immortal. I kept up my position. The Volturi were not vampires you could trust. No, they were the embodiment of everything my tribe has fought decades and decades to keep at bay.

At this moment, the way he looked at her, there were only two things keeping me from killing the bastard. One was to avoid a war. The second was Jasper. His ability was the only thing anchoring me, Quil, and Seth in our human forms. Keeping us just calm enough to stay focused without falling off the cliff. I could feel my body vibrating like a tuning fork, waiting for the opportune moment to attack.

"Why don't you just get on with it then?" Edward snarled, annoyed as the rest of us.

Demetri was drawing this out, using his supreme creep factor to further piss me off. I wanted him gone, and far, far away from me, this family, and Ness, though not in that particular order. Felix chuckled, winking at Renesmee. And we have another leech just asking for a beat down. Looks like it's going to be an even busier night.

I felt Ness tense behind me, lurching just slightly forward, wanting to attack as well. I tensed up; hell no, I wasn't letting her anywhere near them. Uh uh, not happening.

"Yes, Demetri, let us not keep the vegetarians and their pets waiting, shall we?" Felix remarked. My fists clenched tighter. _One reason, just give me one reason to rip your damn head off and you'll be ash by dawn. _

Demetri took a seat on the armchair, crossing one leg over the other, wrinkling his expensive suit._ Pompous ass._

"As I said before, your family is not an easy one to find," he reiterated, pointedly glaring at Bella. Score one for the shield in the family.

Emmett shifted, a growl brewing in him. Yeah, I don't think you want to mess with Em's little sis. Demetri ignored him while Renata came to his side. Her red eyes shifted warily throughout the room, wondering who would attack her charges first.

But Demetri was having none of that. "Renata, mia cara, loro non intendono farci del male," he said. I wondered what he told her, but whatever it was, she relaxed a little. "We had to track the wolves. Aro suspected Bella would be protecting all of you, but he suspected correctly that she did not include the mongrels you call friends." He rolled his eyes at us, annoyed at our existence. Rumbling growls came from the three of us in response. "It seems we're not welcome here. I digress to my point," he continued, half to his friends, the other to us. "Renesmee Cullen, you've been summoned. My masters, particularly Aro, are most curious as to how you've grown these past years that we haven't seen you," he explained as he stood procuring an envelope from his jacket pocket.

The leech held out the envelope for her but I stood in the way to keep her away from him, the envelope, and this whole melodramatic mess of a world we didn't have a say in belonging to. She moved past me, annoyed as her thoughts told me when she swept her hand across my arm. I relaxed for a fraction of a second before realizing she was walking right up to the monster I was trying to keep her from. What the hell is that all about? How could she just waltz right up there to get the envelope. Hello, that's how the bad guy gets the damsel in distress in every action movie ever. Play nice then swoop in when the guard is down. She took the envelope and stepped backwards, right into the protective sphere of her family and me.

I tried not to peer over her shoulder to read the letter with her but all I could see was annoying gothic script that I wasn't all that familiar with. Huh, Aro had probably handwritten the damn thing.

Edward gritted his teeth throughout his reading of the note. "Aro expects the three of us?" Edward asked, quirking an eyebrow at Demetri.

"Yes, he feels it would only be proper for an unattached young lady like Renesmee to come with escorts," he explained, eyeing her again. Once again with the death wish, eh? "Aro suggests that you make haste in your arrangements. He's very eager to see you," he added. She nodded in response, keeping quiet while the three of them made their departure from the house. Everyone stood silent, still, and in shock at the events that just took place. The Volturi had come once more, and sought to order her to go to Volterra. I didn't like this at all.

What I didn't like even more was when Carlisle's voice finally broke the silence. "Alice, make the arrangements. We leave as soon as possible."

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><p><strong>Onto part two!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Part two of the outtake! I've gotten a few questions about LIT with this and yes it's being worked on. I'm a premed student so I don't have a whole lot of time to actually do much of anything other than study right now. I am almost done with ch 27 while 26 is sitting in my beta's inbox. So hopefully that will start posting again soon. BM is currently on a lil break because of school and LIT. **

**This outtake is complete, just haven't posted all five parts yet =) Thank you all for reading so far!**

_Part song: _Possibility by Lykke Li _ _

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><p>Part Two<p>

"Get everyone, pack meeting at dawn," I instructed.

"You comin' back to the Rez?" Seth asked, though he should know the answer already. No way in Hell was I leaving her. Not now, anyways.

"What do you think?" I shot back, cocking an eyebrow at him.

He nodded, catching on to the obvious. "Right, gotcha."

"Guess we'll hear you at dawn then," Quil added, smacking my shoulder for good measure. The two of them loped into the woods. I sighed and banged my head against the post. What are the odds?

Just as I turned to go back in the house, Emmett met me at the door, a shirt of his in hand. "Try not to stink this one up too much."

I chuckled, the levity helping the intense anxiety that was crushing my ribs. "Too late. Smells revolting already, but it'll do," I told him. This was just our way. While his wife and I liked to throw insults at each other, Emmett and I had a much lighter banter.

He grinned as I pulled on the t-shirt. The cotton fabric made me feel slightly more human than animal right now. But it still reeked. Downy fresh? Yeah right.

When the three guards left, the house broke out into a flurry of action. Alice and Blondie got to work with arranging their flights. They were somewhere up in the house. Bats in the belfry or whatever. I sat, rather peeved, on the sofa next to Renesmee. Our shoulders touching. I didn't like this. Not one little bit. They were actually listening to Aro's demands? Emmett at least was on my side. He didn't like the idea of Nessie in Volterra almost as much as I did.

I didn't know how she could read at a time like this. And Austen? _Really, Nessie?_ Then again, maybe she needed the escape from all the anxiety. Hell, I did too, but I didn't have one at the moment. I didn't try to ignore the heat of her arm against mine. No, I used that to anchor me to the present. The ideas of what Aro could want with her were decidedly disturbing and it helped marginally that I could feel her here, safe with me.

How much time did I have left with her? I felt the wave of calm and turned to glower at Jasper. I really didn't want that right now. Granted, he was trying to get everyone to be calm so he could keep his head on straight, but right now I didn't want to feel like an emotionless robot.

The cruelest image of all went through my head. Renesmee held captive by Demetri's dead arms. The high, screeching sound were her screams as he drained her. _NO!_ I can't think like that. I can't let myself even entertain the notion. The very fictitious image in my head made the ties of the imprint rip every nerve ending raw. I'd never survive the onslaught of pain if she died.

Renesmee's hand moved from her book to my knee, stopping it's impression of a caffeine addict without a fix. The added contact calmed me instantly. Sometimes the power she has over me turns out to be more of a blessing than anything. This would be one of those times. "Sorry," I muttered, realizing I'd been shaking the entire couch and Renesmee in the process of trying to let out some of my anxious frustration.

A small grin lit up her face as she squeezed my knee before going back to her book. I cocked my head to the side to read the title. _Northanger Abbey_. Really, how could she read at a time like this?

Hmm, I wonder if Emmett needs a workout. I know I do. It'd been a while since we'd had a good sparring session. Though by the look on Esme's face, a knock down drag out fight in the yard was not such a smart idea. Don't want to piss her off, definitely.

"I should go. I can take Felix," Emmett argued. Just looking at him, I had to agree, he could take down Felix pretty easily.

"Emmett, we're not looking for a fight," Carlisle replied. Yeah, because ambushes never happen.

"Then to the airport in Rome and wait for your return. It'd be smarter, in case Aro pulls anything hinky."

_Good point. I agree with Emmett on this one._

Edward sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The one action I've seen the most over the last sixteen-plus years was that show of exasperated annoyance. His eyes flashed to mine and I shrugged. _What?_

"Bella, what did he mean when he said he had to track the wolves?" Jasper asked, finally addressing one of the 800 pound gorillas in the room. Yeah, how she was doing that, plus giving Ness her privacy was a little confusing. I didn't know her shield could do both at once.

Of course, she shrunk into Edward's side as all eyes settled on her. Still the same old Bells, eh? Edward grinned at her, reminding her that she had nothing to be shy about. After all, this family was well acquainted with freaky.

"I've been shielding the family; it's second nature to me now. I've been doing it for so long," she explained, shrugging. How could she be so nonchalant about it? And secondly, how in the hell was she doing both?

Edward looked entirely confused. Any other day that look would have made me laugh. "But then how come I can't hear Renesmee's thoughts?" _Bingo, the question du jour. Oh, and hey, quit picking thoughts out of my head, Edward. _He ignored the mental assault and continued his interrogation. "How are you doing both? Shielding the family and keeping her thoughts private?"

The room was silent as we awaited Bella's explanation. Biting her lip, she looked almost on the verge of throwing up, which was only possible if she'd swallowed human food. I was particularly antsy to hear this explanation myself. Had her ability grown? Was that even possible? I thought vamp powers grew slowly over time, if at all.

"Remember when I was first learning how to expand my shield?" she posed to Edward.

"Yes, of course," he nodded. Yeah, we all remember back then. Yet again, things were uncertain and scary as hell. Uncertainty and impending doom. Story of my life.

Her hands flailed as if we all should have known this already. I rolled my eyes. _Sharing is caring, Bells._ "Well, I learned over time that there was two components to my shield. It's all one entity, but there are two components I can manipulate. The outer layer I could project outward - that's how I protected everyone that day," she explained.

Everyone present in the living room nodded, wondering exactly what she was trying to reveal.

"Do you also remember you couldn't hear my thoughts, even though you were under the protection of my shield?" she continued, looking at Edward. When no one answered she kept going, almost rambling as quickly as she could to get the attention off of her. "I realized there was a piece of my shield protecting me completely. It always fought against coming down. I've been working on it for years to push it out to show you my thoughts, but I also realized at the same time it could act as a secondary shield. With a lot of work and testing it out, I learned I could protect not only my family but also my daughter's privacy at the same time. It's still sort of difficult, but it's gotten much easier now with use."

Stunned silence swept the room. Jasper was the first to question it. "You've made that much progress in sixteen years?" The disbelief was almost tangible. Not waiting for her answer, he turned to Edward. "How long has Kate been trying to extend out her ability?"

"Centuries," Edward whispered, his gaze hadn't left Bella. He was shocked, sure, so was I, but there was more than a slice of pride mixed with the shock.

"And yet she can only project it throughout her body, through touch. Bella, this is incredible. This shouldn't even be possible," Jasper ranted.

Clearly abashed, Bella averted her eyes, picking at her fingers like she used to when embarrassed and shrugged. "My family is important. I didn't want the Volturi trying to pick us off one by one. If only I could project it out miles at a time. I still have to be able to visually see you to do it. It's so hard to explain, and I'm not very good at verbalizing how it works..." she added, doing her classic lip bite thing. I still couldn't wrap my head around this. As long as she could see you, at least knew that you were near, she could shield your mind from the mental abilities of vampires. At the same time she was able to give her adult daughter privacy from her mind-reading father and she was upset that she couldn't extend it out over large distances? And I thought my crazy schedule was asking too much of myself, geesh.

Edward kissed her temple. "No, love - that was very well done. You're amazing," he said, letting the pride seep through. She hid her face in his neck. I chuckled wryly. Typical Bella. If it weren't for the amber eyes I would've thought this was the human girl, not the vampire wife and mother.

Still, her little revelation didn't do anything to change the clear danger Edward and Carlisle were taking Ness straight into. "Bella's a superhero – awesome. But what the hell are we going to do about the Volturi? Doesn't anyone else realize you're leading your daughter straight into the lion's den?" I spat.

Gold and brown eyes shifted over to me. _Great, an audience._ I can't lose her. The abyss that would be my existence if she wasn't around anymore would surely be the death of me. The story of how Taha Aki lost his imprint ran through my head. All I could think of was how he was when she died. Guarding her body, snarling at anyone who tried to bury her, then taking to the forest, the pain far too much to deal with as a human. And just when I thought my feral days were long past. If she died, I'd suffer the same fate.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose again and gave me a look that told me to stop right there. But I couldn't. My brain kept going over it again and again. A tilt-a-whirl of searing pain and loss.

Carlisle sat on the sofa opposite us. He looked years older than twenty-three. "We don't have a choice," he spoke.

I scoffed at this notion of compliance. "Pfft. Yes you do. You don't have to listen to them. They're the cowards who lost sixteen years ago. Your family has more power than they do now," I argued.

"Not exactly. The Volturi are still revered in our world, Jacob," Jasper added, clearly exasperated and resigned to this course of action. "She's been summoned for a reason. The only way to find out is to go there and see what they want."

Not good enough! I rolled my eyes, completely annoyed. "Yeah, and getting yourselves killed or worse in the process," I shot back. Because, really, the only thing that could be worse than her death was if they violated her. The mere thought of Demetri or Felix anywhere near her, with the looks they'd cast in her direction, was enough to make my blood boil.

"Are you questioning my ability to protect my own child?" Edward hissed at me and stood. I did the same standing to where I was almost in his personal space. I was angry damn it, and if there was so much as a hair harmed on her head, I was going to kill something.

"Yes," I answered. A calmer, smarter person would have said the contrary, but I couldn't let her go. Not into the one place I really couldn't protect her. _You don't understand. If anything so much as happens to her... I..._

A growl rumbled from Edward and we were ready to lunge at each other. I knew this and somehow I didn't really care that this was my friend I was angry at. Sixteen years of friendship had been all but forgotten right there in that living room. Adversaries once more, arguing over a girl. Though the circumstances were exponentially different now. Ness was far more precious to me. "I will not stand for that kind of disrespect, Jacob. Do not make the mistake of thinking you're the only one who cares for her. We all do. You know Carlisle nor I would ever let them harm a hair on her head. Just because you dislike what's happened doesn't mean you get a say in it whatsoever."

"The hell I do!" I nearly shouted. I could feel the shift coming on. The shivering heat going back to my spine. However, before I could shift and lunge for him, Bella and Ness got in between us. Complete carbon copies of each other, pushing us back with their hands at our chests. Both of us snapped back to the present, making us remember that we're friends and not enemies anymore.

_Calm down, Jake._ Renesmee's voice in my head made me look down at her. I hadn't realized her hand was at my face, her eyes wild and worried. She repeated the statement over and over until my body stopped shaking with anger.

I realized what I could have done if I had less control over myself. I would have phased and attacked just as Renesmee had stepped in the way. Emily's face — her scars — flashed in my head only to be replaced with Ness's just like that. I shook my head. No, she's half vampire; she'd heal if that'd ever happened, and I sincerely hoped it did not. No one should have to live with the guilt Sam does everyday. The guilt of hurting your imprint was only second, and a close one at that, to losing her.

"Jake, there's no use in fighting about it. That's what they'd want. In fighting to separate all of us. We have to go," she told me aloud, but her thoughts were reluctant. She didn't want to go at all. I didn't blame her. Travel thousands of miles to see the ruling vamp clan but to what end? What did Aro want with her?

"No you don't. You don't have to listen to them, Ness." I was near begging at this point. I'd get right down on my knees and grovel if it meant she was staying here.

Her arms twitched as if she wanted to pull me in closer but she hesitated. That hesitation stung. Would I ever be able to touch her without her worrying if her family was around? I glanced at Edward to see if he caught my last thought but he didn't look over at me. I glanced at Bella, nodding in gratitude. She offered a small smile and a shrug. Typical Bella.

Ness's head shook in disagreement. "It's not that simple. If we want to keep the peace..."

I waved off her comment. "Peace? You call this peace? You're letting them dictate!" Stupid Italian leeches, always in the way. First they came to kill her family on a rumor that Renesmee was an immortal child. Now this? I was beginning to think that the vampire world might be a better place if those bloodsuckers were nothing but ash. There was no doubt the human world would be better off without the murderous lot of them.

A scowl came over her face. I'd never tell her this, but, hell, she's beautiful when she's angry. Though you wouldn't want to intentionally piss her off. I hated that she was angry, whether at the situation or the fact I was fighting her on this. If I wasn't so upset... More importantly if we were alone I would have kissed her to make the scowl go away. Since neither of those factors were in our favor, I settled for keeping my mouth shut.

"I have to go. Would you rather they come here? With the guard and their witnesses again? Do you want to put the tribe at risk? Charlie? Letting them come here would put countless amount of humans in danger. What if they hunted in Seattle and caught Amber's scent? Do you know what that would do to Leah? Think about it, Jake... This, going there, is our only option," she argued.

_Damn it._ I hate it when she has a valid point, which was rather often. That was the trouble when you date a genius - you could never win an argument because they'd just turn it right around on you.

I tried to form a counter argument but I was coming up blank. There just wasn't one I suppose. I could feel myself caving, but still resisting because of what caving into this meant. It meant Renesmee was going to Volterra - without me. How would I be able to handle this? I'd have to put my trust in Edward and Carlisle to bring her home safely.

But what protection could they offer her against someone like Jane? Alec?

None. Nada. Zilch. _Zero_.

Alice stood at the bottom of the stairs, rallying everyone's attention. "Travel arrangements have been made. I think we should go hunting tonight. We need you three at your strongest in case..." she trailed off.

Images of what could be waiting for them in Italy made me cringe._ Thanks a bunch for the unnecessary reminder, Tink._ She caught my glare for a half a second and she looked appropriately apologetic for bringing it up again. Renesmee sagged a little next to me. She looked dead on her feet. There was no way she was going to be able to hunt tonight as tired as she was.

Bella must have seen the same thing I did because she beat me to the punch. "Yes, we'll go hunting. But I'll take Nessie in the morning, she needs her rest as much as we need you two to hunt," she announced, wrapping an arm around her exhausted daughter. I felt the weight of exhaustion as well, but I was still too keyed up to be able to catch any Z's anytime soon. I doubt I'd sleep the whole time she'll be away.

"Thanks," Ness replied. Even her voice was getting the brunt of fatigue, her words slurring just slightly.

Just the idea of separation now, after everything we'd been through. Separation had always hurt, always tore me up inside the entire time the family had stayed away from Washington. When she was a kid it was easier. I could divorce myself from the aching pain that radiated every nerve ending. But now? Knowing how perfect things can be between us, having a taste of it? The next few days were going to hurt like no other. Briefly I glanced at the fireplace, the poker used to stoke a fire. I wondered if putting that when it was searing hot into my arm would hurt worse than this. Though the burn would heal within an hour or two, this pain? This pain would stay here until she was back in my arms again.

"Jake, will you stay with Nessie?" Bella asked.

_Nah, I was considering a midnight stroll... Of course! What'd ya think, I'd just leave her?_ These were things I could have said, and probably would have under different circumstances. Instead, I nodded that I would definitely stay.

The family left, taking much of the vamp smell with them. And here I thought I'd gotten used to that over the years. Guess all it takes is a little visit from some red-eyes and I remember why I hate the smell of this place. I moved to take her in my arms, breathe her in, but when I went for it she was already heading for the stairs.

She must be exhausted beyond belief. I followed her, watching as each stair passed; her footsteps grew heavier, almost to the point where she would trip if she didn't pick them up higher. I wrapped an arm around her waist to help her along. She was getting slower and slower still. By the time we hit the top of the stairs on the third floor I said the hell with it and scooped her up in my arms. Her head found the curve of my shoulder while I carried her the twenty or so feet to her bedroom. It felt weird but all together perfectly right that I was carrying her like this. I set her down near the bed and began turning it down for her.

She let out a disgruntled huff at the gesture. She spoke and it came out completely slurred but it sounded something like, "Jake, I can get in bed by myself."

So stubborn. Good thing I was even more bullheaded. I didn't listen to her. I'd like to see if she could find her bed when she's this exhausted. I took pity on her instead and picked her up and got her settled in. It was a little difficult when I moved to leave her in her bed. Her face just under mine, as I hovered over the bed. "Sleep. I'll be here," I told her. I certainly had no intention of leaving her but being in the same room with her, alone and on a bed, was going to prove very difficult to keep my hands to myself. Burnout be damned.

I warred with myself over this. One side wanted to slip into bed with her, catch the last bit of sleep I'm going to have over the next few days with her in my arms. A little piece of Heaven before the unyielding purgatory this separation was going to be. The other more rational side of my brain pushed aside those selfish desires. I went to stand. She needed her rest. If she were going to come back to me, she needed to be firing on all cylinders.

A small warm hand on my wrist stopped me from leaving the side of the bed. I looked down to see her meek expression. "I'm sorry for fighting with you," she whispered, weaving her slender fingers with mine.

Everything weighed on me. The complete failure I was in trying to keep her safe. Yet I led those bloodsuckers right to her doorstep. Mistake after mistake. They were piling up quite nicely. "Me too. I j-just... I can't – " Christ I'm stuttering now? Figures with the amount of emotional crap that had been loaded onto me tonight. I needed sleep but was I going to get any? Probably not. She sat up, the proximity only heightening the weight of everything. Was this all the time I had left with her?

"I can't lose you. I d-don't..." I paused, taking a breath and cradled her face in my hands. She had to know, had to see that my world is a black hole, an infinite darkness without her to hold me grounded in the light. "I don't know what I'd do if you don't come home."

And just like that she pushed herself into my lap, her arms wrapped tightly around me, knees pressed into the mattress. This was different, and just enough exhilarating closeness to push other desires to the forefront. "I won't let that happen," she replies with a confidence that I didn't possess anymore.

I pushed back just slightly. A wave of need passed over me. She had to come back to me, she had to swear to it. I couldn't let her go and do something stupid. Not while I'm here sitting uselessly on the sidelines. I traced her jaw with the tips of my fingers as I felt the sting prick the corners of my eyes. _Don't you dare cry now, be strong. Be strong for her._ _Even if this is all the time alone we'll get._ "Promise me," I demanded.

"Promise what? That I'll come home?"

"Promise me that you'll do whatever it takes to come back to me," he said, searching her face for the answer. She nodded, her teeth, pressing into her lower lip. "No, I want you to say it. I need you to promise me. You're going straight into where I can't protect you. I need you to do everything you can. Just in case –"

Her hand at my jaw interrupted what I was about to confess. "I promise you I'll come back. I will do whatever it takes to come back to you. You have my word. But you will not worry. I can't have you sitting here giving yourself an ulcer while I have to travel across the globe to see whatever the hell Aro wants."

"Not worry? That's a tall order."

"Good thing you're so tall," she joked.

I rolled my eyes and couldn't help the snicker that came from me. She was so Bella's daughter. "Pulling out Bella-isms? You are your mother sometimes."

We both laughed, a brief reprieve of levity settled in the room. She leaned her head against my chin. I breathed in her scent. Warm and clean. Perfect. I pressed a kiss to her hairline. "I love you," I whispered. I needed better words. I just didn't have the vocabulary to express just how much that sentiment meant - how deeply I loved this woman - this perfect person who continually turned my life upside down. Between imprinting, The Volturi, separation, jealousy over her choice in friends, to falling even more in love with her than I already had been, to the distinct possibility this could be our last night together.

Instead of returning the three words I've been dying to hear for the past decade, she kissed me. She did this often whenever I told her how I felt. Maybe she just wasn't ready to say it yet. She had to feel it, didn't she? To let me be so close to her, to see her so vulnerable all the time like no one else ever could. That had to be because she trusted me enough to love me back, didn't it?

I gasped against her lips and used every ounce of restraint not to turn her over, lay her back on the bed and show her exactly how much I loved and worshipped her.

Of their own accord, my hands went to her waist; instead of soft cotton they met warm skin. I didn't know how it was possible, with her being half-vampire, but she felt soft to me. I bit back a groan as she shivered against me. The rational portion of my brain was setting off warnings telling me that we weren't going to be alone long enough to have my way with her. It was too soon anyways. We just started to explore this side of our relationship, didn't we have more time?

Her hands pulled at my hair. The slight pain felt amazing. My teeth bit into her lower lip which only egged her on. Her chest rattled with a reverberating hum. Dear God, that sound is just perfect. My hands moved up, hesitating at the hem of her shirt. I kissed along her jaw, her breathy sighs right next to my ear. I could live like this forever. If only we had forever. It all seemed too uncertain. To rid myself of this overwhelming sense of doom, I captured her lips again. No one would ever kiss her like this, love her like this. Even if she chose to leave me, no one would ever be the same for her, I could tell that now.

Exhaustion pushed all doubt, all inhibition away. Slowly, without further hesitation, I slid my hands up under the thin fabric of her shirt and onto the bare skin of her chest. A ragged, surprised gasp came from her mouth. _Perfection. Pure and absolute._ Her body was reacting just as mine was. Pheromones, arousal. Her nipples grew tight against my palms_._ She arched into my hands, silently begging for more. A desperate moan followed by the gentle roll of her hips, the friction of which was right against my cock. A growl ripped through my chest. I nipped at her shoulder. God, did she even know what she'd done? All thoughts of stopping, of decency, were completely gone with one movement of her pelvis. Pants and gasps between kisses grew shorter. Then she moved her hips again, only a stronger movement, showing her intention to provoke me.

_Take her. She wants this. She wants _you.

_No, not here. Not now._

Both sides of me, the man in love and the rational leader, were arguing with one another. I knew, in earnest that taking things any further tonight would be a mistake. Her family would be back soon. I don't think they'd take to kindly to a surprise like this. Especially with them still in the dark about our relationship.

I struggled with pushing her away. With ending this. I wanted this as much as she did, if not more. I held her closer. My hands tight against her skin. I had to end this but I was going to hold on just a moment longer. Her hips rolled again with her mouth along my neck. For a moment my mind went hazy again. I knew it was time to pull back. If I didn't? If I kept going? It wouldn't be long until both of us were pushed past the point of no return. I growled against her shoulder again before pushing back. "Ness, not here." It killed me to say the words. Pushing her away was always a battle, but doing it now? When everything was ominous and unsure? Most difficult thing I'll ever do.

"You're right," she said, looking up to me. She understood, but that all the understanding in the world won't get rid of the rejection in her face.

It went straight to my gut, hitting it like a sucker punch. "Its not that I don't want to," I tried to explain. A piss poor explanation at that. "I do. But here? Not such a good idea." And I was right, it was a really bad idea to go any further here, in this house. Personally, I didn't want to get torn limb from limb by not just her parents, but her aunts and uncles, as well, for defiling her.

The magnetism that surrounded us didn't fall away. It grew worse as she moved away from me. I didn't like it, didn't like the distance. Feeling her body move away from mine, I let out a disappointed groan. Whether that was just from the frustration of stopping or from the physical space between us now, I didn't know. It made the need more intense than it had a moment ago.

I went to stand. Not a very comfortable position. Walking with an erection was not an easy task, but it was doable.

"Are you all right?," she asked.

I gave her the best "What do you think?" look I could muster and smirked. "Nothing a really long shower won't fix later." Damn shower saw more action in the last month than I ever had in my entire life. Although, I don't think I would give up what just happened, ever.

"I should probably shower, too. They'll be wondering why I reek so much if I don't," she mused, wrapping her arms around her shins and resting her chin on her knees. _So damned adorable. _"You'll stay close though?" She moved then, going across her room to the bathroom. I may or may not have stared at her hips as she went. Okay, so I did. Guilty as charged. She stopped by the door, leaning on the frame, looking over her shoulder. _Really damn adorable._ I hadn't realized I was still smiling. It felt more natural now, less forced than before.

I nodded. "Yes, I'll be downstairs; it's nearly dawn. I have a pack meeting to attend." I left the room when she disappeared into the bathroom to bathe while I made my way downstairs and out to the backyard. The sky was getting lighter, but the overcast was intense. Huh, guess Seth was right, after all. We were due for one hell of a rain storm. I let the heat take over and spread out until I wasn't a man anymore.

_Morning everyone, here's what's going down..._

'_Sup boss?_

_Seth and I filled in everyone on what happened with Demetri, Felix and Renata, _Leah explained, her mental voice was like a concerned big sister.

_Good. Ness, Edward, and Carlisle leave tomorrow morning. Alice has scheduled them open tickets so they're to be on the first available flights back as soon as they get out of Volterra._

_Assuming they do._

_Don't talk like that, Quinn,_ Seth chided.

_No, he's right. We need to be ready. If they're not back... If something happens, I'm going to tear that city apart brick by brick and kill any red-eyed leech who gets in my way._

_We'll be with you on that one._

_Heh, roadtrip! _

_More like a really long couple of plane flights, Col. It's in Italy, north of Rome._

_Focus! Keep the line tight on the Rez,_ I snapped. I felt horrible for it, but right now it was not a time to horse-ass around.

_Let me guess, you're staying put 'til she's back,_ Leah accurately predicted. Like I would leave at a time like this.

_You bet your ass, I am._

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><p><strong>Hope you all enjoyed!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: So I am almost half way done with Chapter 28 of LIT. I will be able to start editing them with my beta later this week. I've also signed up for another compilation for the Southwestern Wildfires. It'll be a much shorter one-shot that's a missing moment to Breaking Dawn and serves as pre-LIT. Anyways enjoy!**

Part songs:_Come Back by Depeche Mode, and __Howl by Florence + the Machine _

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><p>Part Three<p>

Want to know what a really bad combination is? Thirty-six hours running on less than three hours of sleep and fluorescent lights. Ugh. At least we got to sit in the car together. I don't know how I'm going to do this. Watch her leave to get on the plane. Not knowing if...

I shook my head and kept my eyes on her as we walked. I kept her ahead of me, so I could keep my eyes on her for just a little bit longer. Bella had an arm around each of them. Renesmee to her left, Edward to her right. She was going to be just as bad if not worse than me. It was her husband, daughter and father-in-law going there. She knew the city well from long ago. I wish I was going. I didn't care if Aro would feel threatened or not. He should be. No one screws with _my _girl.

I kept my eyes on the board, waiting, hoping the nasty storm clouds that had only abated for a few hours this morning would open up another torrential downpour. Surely they couldn't leave if their flight was cancelled, right? I glanced at Edward. He didn't notice my internal ramblings, which was a relief. I was glad Bella kept shielding me and Ness. Happy that I'd even thought to suggest it. She knew as well as I did that Edward didn't need the added annoyance of more over-emotional thoughts. If anything, that'd make the situation worse. He needed to focus even more than Carlisle. He already knew how distraught everyone was over this. Keeping Edward focused meant the three of them would be able to come back. And that's what was important. A safe return was all that mattered.

We hit security not long after entering the terminal. My stomach bottomed out. No, no, no. Not yet, there's not enough time. Her family's around... I swallowed thickly and balled my fists. _Hold it together, she needs you to be strong for her._ Yeah right. Strong on the outside, veritable marshmallow on the inside - _Perfect._ I want so badly to just pull her in my arms, kiss her senseless, and tell her I love her.

Jasper started in with the hugging. I was going to lose it. How do you say goodbye to your soulmate when so many eyes were watching, waiting for a slip. "You'll call us when you land?" he asked them. His tone, though, sounded more like me when I was doling out orders to the pack. His military background came out through his concern.

The three of them nodded. I barely registered Edward or Carlisle's response. No, my sole attention was on_ her. _Esme embraced her next, going down the line. I waited. I wanted to draw this out as long as possible without getting into the ridiculous.

Jasper also tried to hold it together, but even he looked weary after the last few days. That was something. A vampire looking exhausted? Guess it was just the same. The emotional stress was wearing everyone a little thin. It was only going to get worse from here. Undoubtedly worse until they set foot back on Washington soil.

Bella was the last to hug her daughter before me. She made her make promises to keep Edward in line while they were gone. I almost chuckled. I just hoped neither one of them did anything stupid. She was my soul mate, but Edward was also my friend, as was Carlisle. Amazing how so much can change in nearly two decades.

Now's your time. I moved to her, pulling her close. I don't care what they saw. I just can't abide by her ridiculous privacy notion right now. I can't kiss her, or tell her that I love her. Those things we did the other night. Those moments alone were our goodbye. _Not goodbye... It's only temporary. Only temporary. _I kissed her forehead. Telling her wordlessly of how much I adored her. "Remember what I said the other night?" I whispered.

I watched her nod. "I haven't forgotten."

I studied her face. Drinking it in like a man who was going on a journey through a desert and this was his last bit of water.

_Come back to me. Stay with me. Love me._

They were all things I wanted to say but couldn't. Her gag order having unintended consequences, yet she hadn't lifted the ban. I'd give so much just to kiss her right now. But I'd made a promise and a promise to an imprint was stronger than any Alpha command. I rubbed my thumb on her arm. _Please know how much I love you and how much it will kill me if you don't come home._

She pressed her hand to my jaw. At first it was just flickering images, moments between us that she was trying to get a handle on. _Jake, I…_ she began. The scattered nature of what she was showing me all had one running theme, happiness. In every image, every memory we were happy together. As friends sharing each other's company. Flashes of her childhood interspersed with those of her early adulthood, and a flash or two of a kiss here and there. She opened her eyes for a moment and I smiled at her though it was weak at best. _There is no other option than to make it out of this in one piece. But if anything happens… God forbid… please know that I never for a second gave up trying to come back to you._

The sadness began squeezing my ribs roughly. I can't do this. I slapped on a brave face, for her. I'd do anything for her. "Promise?"

"Pinky promise," she answered, raising her little finger. I grinned just a little bit wider and let her pull me into a hug again. "I will see you in a few days as soon as this is all over," she whispered. "That's my solemn pinky promise."

I held her close, as long as I could, just breathing in her scent. Even muddled with the scents of her family, still I breathed in as much as I could take. A desperate junkie jonesing for a hit. Needed to get plenty of my addiction because as soon as she's gone I'd start going through withdrawal. Edward cleared his throat, ending our intimate bubble. I wanted to glare at him but time was of the essence this morning. "I'll see you in a few days, Ness," I told her as I pulled away. The crushing weight began its descent the farther away she got. She stopped for a moment to glance back at everyone and met my eyes.

_I love you. Please be careful for me._

The security official caught her attention and within a moment she was gone from my vision. I closed my eyes and let the pain rip me apart. Might as well just get it over with, band-aid style. I'd put on a brave face though. I'd do it for her. _Anything for her._

* * *

><p><em>All's quiet on the Northern front. <em>

_Huh, what? _I asked. My eyes burned and my body ached. Even in wolf form I was fighting exhaustion.

_Jake, seriously, get some sleep._

I grumbled as Leah tried to coax me into phasing back and sleeping for a few hours. Even though every part of me called out for rest, but I couldn't do it. Not with everything going on. What if...?

_What if what? You're no damn good to me half dead._

_Christ, Lee you sound like Mom,_ Seth chimed in. I shook my head as the incessant banter between brother and sister began.

_Well, our fearless leader over there is about to fall over from exhaustion. And he needs to phase before that happens. Do you want the pack subjected to his subconscious emo-shit about Ness? I think not._

_She does have a point, Jake._

_Awesome. Now I have both of you ganging up on me?_

_Try three._ And now Embry too?

_Et tu Bruté?_

Embry's mental laughter bounced around in my head, like the equivalent of a pinball machine that only aggravated the sleep-deprivation migraine I had going.

_Did you just quote Shakespeare?_ Seth asked, mildly amused.

_Yes, I've read a play. Try not to faint, _I shot back at him. The rest of them just chuckled at the exchange.

_You better be glad that you're all on the Rez and not here. I'd hamstring all of you for this mutiny._

_Correction, this isn't mutiny. It's an intervention, jackass. Get. Some. Sleep, _Leah ordered. The order, of course, held no bearing on me aside from annoyance. Leah's worse than Rach with the sisterly crap.

_Sure, sure. I'll be fine. _

_You know, I really never thought I'd be the one to say this but I kinda wish Sam was around to order you to go to bed._

_Wow, a Sam reference from Leah? Dude, she means serious business. I'd listen to her,_ Seth added. Seriously, I need new friends.

_Screw you, Black. If something were to happen, you'd be out of commission anyways. We need you at full strength. So does Ness. You realize how pissed she'll be when I tell her you put up this much of a fight. _

_She'd probably punch you._

_At least she wouldn't break her hand in the process. Though she'd probably bust your jaw._ Embry chuckled, reminding me once upon a time when Bella had injured herself while knocking some sense into me.

_Dude, ten bucks on Ness. She's feisty, _Seth boasted.

_Make it twenty and you, sir, have a bet._

I grumbled and paced around the same tree just on the outskirts of the Cullen estate. They were right, all of them, but I didn't want to listen. The pain was easier to handle in wolf form. Keeping myself less than human eased the compulsion to hop the next plane to Italy.

_I get it, really, Jake. But maybe let Jasper work his mojo on you to help. _

_Heh, did your sister seriously just say mojo?_ Embry asked Seth.

_Yes, I believe she did._

_Can it, idiots. I'm serious, Jacob. Don't make me get Rachel to come down there and throw a maternal smack down. She'll need the practice for when Sarah's older._

_Rachel goin' all maternal is definitely a valid threat, bro._

_That'd be hilarious to see Rach pull you by the ear._

_All right, all right, enough! I'll try to sleep. Promise. _

_Good, Bella should be almost there with some clothes for you. I had Ambs pack you a couple days worth and some toiletries to get you by. Also, Col is covering for you at the garage. The guys aren't happy with that idea over there, but they'll deal._

_Leah..._

_Shut up, you know you're not coming home 'til she's back. Might as well not have to rough it. I don't want you to phase til the morning, you're to sleep and take care of yourself or I'm coming down there to kick your ass. Capisce?_

_Yes, mother._

_Kiss my ass._

_No thanks._

I could hear Bella's car pull off the highway and down the road leading to the house. I was grateful she'd even offered. Any other time I'd decline; however, Bella, being Bella wouldn't take no for an answer. "Jake?"

I heard her call out from the garage. I trotted over and poked my head around the corner. She grinned widely when she saw me. "Went to your house. Amber had this waiting for you..." she said, holding onto the small duffel bag. The other voices faded, most of them phasing back to human form. Leah's mental presence was there, however, probably to make sure I did as I was told.

_Leah, tell your woman thank you for me._

_No problem. We'll keep you posted if anything happens. I doubt the Volturi would come now. Aro has what he wants on his way there. _

_True, but he wants Edward, Alice, and Bella for their abilities. I wouldn't put it past him to send Caius out to collect them, too. _

_We'll keep an ear out here. You hold down the fort there. Just take care of yourself, you hear?_

_Yeah, I hear you. _

Bella held out the strap of the bag for me. I took it between my teeth and went over to the thickest part of the trees that I could find, dropping the bag and phasing into human form. I'd take a shower later. The feel of cotton and denim, though, felt almost strange on my skin. It always did post phase, which used to bug me, but right now I was too tired to care.

When I entered the house, there wasn't much talking or much noise. The sounds of the television blaring CNN, and clanging pans from the kitchen were about the only signs there was actually anyone here. Emmett was staring like a zombie at the television, grimacing at the negativity from the talking heads. I grabbed the remote from him and flicked on ESPN. "At least watch something enjoyable to distract yourself."

His scowl grew deeper, trying to snatch the remote back. He may be quick but stealth was not the guy's forte. I easily dodged him. "I was trying to keep an eye on the news, just in case anything goes down in Italy."

"And you think CNN is going to pick up on it? I mean, Anderson Cooper is an amazing reporter, but I doubt he has the 4-1-1 on the underbelly of the vampire world."

Huffing, he sat back on the sofa. "I know. I just feel useless. I _hate_ feeling useless."

"Welcome to the club," I retorted before leaving him and going into the kitchen. Bella was flitting around the room looking like she was whipping up everything in the refrigerator to keep herself from going mad. "Bells, seriously?"

She stopped for a moment then kept right on chopping. "I have to do something. I have to keep busy."

I put my hand on her wrist, slowing the loud clang of steel against wood. "Bells..."

She dropped the knife and broke down then, going to pieces on me, burying her face into my chest, which definitely smelled like nuzzling a wet dog to her. Dry sobs were muffled against my shirt. "I'm scared, Jake."

I put a hand on the back of her head and pulled back slightly. "I know, believe me, I know. Now tell me what you're making?"

"Anything. What are you hungry for?" she asked, pulling herself together.

"You know me, I'm a bottomless pit. Make anything and I'll eat it." I joked, hoping to get just the briefest bit of a reprieve from all the heavy.

"Okay. How about chicken fried steak and eggs?"

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

><p>Watching the sun set behind the trees, I leaned my head back against the post, trying to catch some sleep on the front porch. Despite the offers, I didn't want to go upstairs and sleep on any of the beds. The only one I would sleep on is hers. It'd make the separation worse. Surrounded by that scent. I'd only want her near all the more. Though the addict in me wanted to go up there and camp out for a couple of days.<p>

Pathetic. Really. It was bad enough that every time I closed my eyes I could only see her. Her smiling face. Or her face in the moonlight, in her bedroom gasping for breath. I banged my head against the post trying to knock the image out so I could find some peace from the pain. Leah had already ordered me to get some rest. I was useless right now. Couldn't sleep, couldn't function as alpha. Utterly useless.

"Jacob, why on earth are you trying to sleep out here?" I heard from somewhere above me. I recognized the voice instantly.

"Go away, Bells."

She chuckled and kicked my foot, settling herself across from me on the opposite post. "Go inside and sleep."

"I'm good out here."

"Liar."

"Your point?"

"Still so stubborn."

"Could say the same about you."

"Jerk."

"You know it."

"It's difficult for you isn't it?"

"What is?" I asked, opening one eye to see her face. Sadness and concern written all over it.

"The separation. I'm going crazy just thinking about how far they are and they only left a few hours ago. I can't imagine what it's like for you. The imprint and all..."

Even just the mention of the separation made the pain burn anew, searing and all consuming. The only way to deal with this was to go and find her, but that wasn't an option. Christ, how did I do this when she was growing up? "Can we not do this?"

"Jake, I need to commiserate here. Esme has thrown herself into her gardening, Rose is in the garage."

I sighed. Fuckin' eh. Why could I never say no to either Bella or Ness? "Yes, it's downright excruciating, okay?"

Her face softened, feeling appropriately abashed for pressing. "Sorry. I understand, really. I hope you realize that she loves you."

I rolled my eyes. "Bells, seriously?"

"She's in love with you. You have to see it, don't you? You're usually so perceptive with this kind of thing."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Bella's laughter filled the space between us. "Really? Because with the way you held onto her at the airport and in the car on the way there..."

I rolled my eyes. "I can't be freaked out that she's going to Volterra?"

"Of course you can be. But you're in love with her." The confidence oozed from her in her summation. She was right though. I'd always been transparent as a glass of water when it came to Ness.

"Ding ding ding! What do we have for her, Johnny?" I snapped, sarcastically.

Bella nudged my foot. "Okay, so it's obvious you love her. But she's completely enamored with you."

"Whatever you say," I said, trying to get her to just cut to the chase.

What I didn't expect was what she said next. "Is she a good kisser?"

I lost my poker face then and stared at her with wide eyes. "What?" How did she know? I tried to run over the last few days in my head. Was she the only one who picked up on the tension between me and Ness?

She laughed at my expression. "Not that I want to know, but I figured I'd get that exact reaction. You two think you're fooling everyone — and maybe you are — but this is me, Jake. I know my daughter, and I know you. Something has changed." She said, low and quick so as not to alert anyone in the house to the topic of our conversation.

"How long have you known?" I asked, whispering just as quietly. Vamps had super-hearing but if you whispered low enough and just far enough away, they'd never hear it either. Learned that when trying to plan a surprise birthday party for Bella with Edward and Alice one year. I think she's still pissed about that one. Even still I found I never could lie to Bella. It was no use anyways, because if I did she'd suss it out in a heartbeat. If anything, being a vampire made her BS detector all the more acutely attuned to a steaming pile.

"January."

Shit, really? "What gave you the idea something had changed?"

"Your jealous outburst, and then how she reacted to it. I knew then that things were going to change. Then when she came home from seeing you? She was on cloud nine. Nothing could bring her down. I knew that had to be because of you."

I shook my head. "Who else knows?"

"Alice is pretty certain. Jasper has noticed the emotional shift for you both. Emmett suspects something is up. Edward is oblivious, however. I think he wants to keep her as his little girl for just a little bit longer."

I chuckled. Edward was a typical father in some ways, and less so in others. "Yeah. I bet."

"So why are you sad? I mean I get the worry but you're sad too. I don't get it. She loves you, too."

"She hasn't said it."

Bella sighed. "So? You didn't need me to tell you. You knew."

"I was a lot cockier back then. She could always leave me. I can't live through that again. Being told I'm not enough. Not with her. It'd kill me."

Her face contorted, as if I'd punched her in the stomach. "That's my fault isn't it?"

"Don't torture yourself over it, B. It was almost two decades ago."

"But it's affecting you now. I'm so sorry. I did so much wrong then. I knew I was hurting you and I couldn't help myself. I needed you in my life. Still do," she replied, giving me a small grin. For a second she almost looked like the human Bella, shy and insecure. Yet nothing of what I felt for the human came to me. Memories, sure, but nothing else. No pain. No sense of rejection. That small miracle was one thing I was really happy about with the imprint. Freedom from that mess of a past. Even if it meant reliving it - only exponentially worse.

"Yeah. I'm glad I have someone I need, too," I whispered, picking at the hem of my shirt.

Bella grinned at me and sighed. "What a mess we are. Sitting here, useless while they're off risking everything."

A lance of pain sliced across my chest. "I get it now, how you were when they left..."

Bella took a breath. A flash of the hollowed out person that'd shown up on my doorstep with motorcycles and a mission to put herself in danger sat across from me. "Ah, the zombie phase, yes."

"It feels like I can't breathe. It hurts to just exist, yet I can't find anything physically wrong with me."

She just nodded in return. Her arms hugging her torso. That was a move I was familiar with. She used to do that whenever they were brought into conversation or she was obviously thinking of what she'd lost. "Believe me, I get that. I know you thought I had some sick obsession with this family when I was human, but they're really the only beings aside from you and Charlie that ever made me feel half way normal. Accepted even. I've been to Volterra. It's not a place I ever wanted Renesmee to go. Aro is power hungry. I wouldn't put it past him to kill his own mother if it meant he got more power out of the deal. I just hope Edward has something up his sleeve to get them out of there. Carlisle is banking on the friendship he and Aro forged centuries ago. If anything that was tarnished beyond repair when they came to kill my family and collect what talented members they could. But I can't be completely negative about this. I have to have faith in Edward and Carlisle. They've made mistakes, surely, but they've always done what's right."

"Didn't Edward kill people?" I asked, countering her argument.

She rolled her eyes. "Technically he thought he was doing what was right. Killing the guilty to save the innocent. Very vigilante, I know, but thank God he grew out of drinking human blood long before he met me."

I chuckled a little. "Yeah, I can only imagine what that would have been like."

"Total carnage. He tried so hard to avoid me in the beginning, to hate me. I thought I did something wrong. Apparently it was just existing and practicing good hygiene that did the trick."

The chuckles turned into full on laughter. Whether it was from exhaustion and a full stomach or just the fact Edward Mister-so-put-together Cullen being a complete savage was hilarious to me.

"You find that funny?"

"Yes. Years ago that would have disgusted me but it's pretty hilarious imagining the stuffed shirt going all newborn on everyone."

Bella started laughing then. The levity felt nice, the air lighter from all the heavy that lay in the in-between. "You did not just call him a stuffed shirt."

"He was born in what the early twentieth century?"

"He was born in 1901, so was Alice."

"Heh, explains a lot."

A small hiss emanated from upstairs. Ha, she'd heard me. Cool. While my favorite past time was getting into a verbal and sometimes prank war with Rosalie it was also fun to tease the pixie about her odd personality. "Don't knock my husband and my best friend, it was a very different time. There were social rules and codes of conduct. Those ideas to you and me? Archaic at best but to them - though my sister-in-law does not remember her human life - those rules were guidelines."

"Aren't you glad you were born in the late 80's?"

"Yes, I much appreciate the right to vote, and to wear pants in public."

I barely stifled a yawn as my shoulders shook once more. Bella turned on the Mom look. The one where if you didn't do what they said the middle name was going to get thrown around, and then possibly, knowing Bella I'd be the one thrown around.

"Jake," she implored.

"Laying it on a lil thick, eh, Bells?"

"Go inside. Get a couple hours sleep."

"And if I say no?"

"There's any of the beds or sofas with your name on it. I'm not taking no for an answer, mister."

I let out a resigned breath. Ness did the same thing when she was concerned and wanted to make sure I was getting enough sleep. "Okay, okay. I'm going."

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><p><strong>Hope you all enjoyed! Just two parts left!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Since I did so well on my final for summer session 2, I decided to go ahead and post part four! I got an A this session as well so woohoo! Anyways I'm trying to see if my beta is available for editing tonight so I can get ch 26 out to all of you very soon! Anyways where we last left off Bella had basically ordered Jacob to go sleep. And sleep he did! Enjoy! **

_Part songs: Miles Away by Depeche Mode and Nothing's Impossible by Depeche Mode_

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><p>Part Four<p>

I didn't know where I was at first as I lay somewhere in the dark. Somewhere that was soft and smelled incredible. Initially, nothing felt familiar, though my brain registered it all as such. The room was quiet, dark, but the moonlight shone through making it look lighter. Not that I needed it to see everything in the room. I didn't remember coming up the stairs, or moving from the sofa I'd fallen asleep on.

Bookcases and CDs littered the room. I knew the scent that lingered heaviest in this space. Ness's room. Jasper and Emmett must have moved me once I passed out. How did I not wake up with vampires that close? Especially carrying my huge ass up three floors?

Huh, guess Leah's right. I am useless when I'm that tired. I leaned back against the bed and inhaled the scent around me. It wasn't the same as holding her here. There was no warmth aside the product of my own body heat. The soft smell of her hung in the sheets and on the pillows, both helping and exacerbating the pain within my chest.

The house was still abuzz with tension though I could feel the rolling calm coming from somewhere within. Jasper was working overtime I could tell. I sat on the edge of the bed, putting my head in my hands. The crushing weight was strangling all the air from my lungs. It was difficult to exist without her and not have to deal with this pain. The pain only made it worse.

I tried to push the pain down somewhere deep where it wouldn't be so incredibly painful. How did I manage when she was growing up? Granted I wasn't in love with her back then, but I still cared for her. The imprint has always been this strong. Was it because I was compelled to do what was right for her over my needs? Nowadays all I need is her. Compelled to be near her every second. The shift between us happened so quickly, seamlessly, that I didn't realize how codependent I was becoming. Worse than I ever thought was possible.

Would I change it? Never.

Downstairs, I found Jasper setting up the chess board. It was the antique oak one in Carlisle's study. "Do you play?" he asked, not looking over his shoulder.

I grinned a little. "No. Never really learned."

"Do you want to?" he offered, extending a hand to the open chair across him.

Normally I would have declined, instead watching Ness get murdered in chess. Jasper was the best in the family at the game. Edward only won when he could use his ability to formulate a counterattack. Alice and Edward playing chess was by far the most boring. They both preferred to play the game silently, going through the moves without any movement until one of them would give up and knock their king over.

"Eh, what the hell, sure."

"Okay, so basics are that you want to use the best strategy to get the King on my side. Your strongest player on the board is the queen, she can pretty much do anything. Rook's can go in a line, several spaces ahead. The knight can only go in an L-shaped formation. Pawns are the weakest and usually the first to leave the board. Bishops move like Rook's, only diagonally."

I took everything he said into account. Couldn't be too hard, could it?

"Now the difficult part is the strategy," Jasper mused as we began the game.

Silence fell over us as I tried to focus on the game. It was helpful to relieve the pain, as was Jasper being around. Had to admit the guy did come in handy. "So what got you into this?"

"Chess? It's something to do, really. To pass the time when there's an infinite amount of it in front of you."

"So it's not the military background?"

He chuckled, an odd lightness in his face. Different from the usual focus and concern. "No, it's really not. Though it does help a bit to think of things as a battle strategy, fully on logic and nothing more. The Confederate army back then was extremely disorganized so I'm not sure exactly how much real military strategy I learned then. Most of my battle tactics came from my years with Maria."

I sighed and moved my bishop, taking out his knight. He glanced up, a surprised look on his face. "Fast learner."

"I'll say. I'm not surprised. You come from a long line of warriors. Good strategic thinking is in your DNA."

"Probably, true. My family is one of the three families that directly descended from Taha Aki, apparently. Can't be sure how many families he created. He was married three times and had several children in each marriage."

"And the third was his imprint?"

"Yeah. He lived two lifetimes before he met her. Now look at the rest of us, most of us are imprinted and a few married with kids on the way. Next generation of wolves already beginning. It's insane to think about."

Jasper moved his second knight out, claiming my last pawn. "That is the one thing you'll enjoy about living forever. Watching how humans evolve and change over time. I grew up in a very different time than this. Texas in the middle 1800s wasn't the place it is today, though the people are just as full of pride now like then. Biggest fears for us in Houston was whether the Comanche would raid on the outlying homes and ranches. It was a dangerous time to grow up in."

"It's weird to think you grew up when it was really the wild west."

"It really was. I learned how to shoot just after I could walk."

Alice came into the room then, the two of them gravitating towards each other. A strange pairing, considering the size and personality disparities. "Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?" she remarked, a playful smile lighting up her face.

Har-dee-har-har, pixie. "Don't you have a fashion magazine to squeal over?" I quipped back.

She sighed and shook her head. "Contrary to your misguided shaggy head, I'm not completely about fashion. Actually I just began my day in the Southeast Asian stock market."

"Asia, huh?"

She grinned, squeezing her husband's shoulder. "Yes, the market in Thailand is booming."

I nodded and kept moving around the board. I was losing, I could tell. Yet I was still holding my own. I raked a hand through my hair. It was getting longer than I had it in a long time. Almost to the point of needing to go at it with the kitchen shears at home. "Hey, Alice, do you have any scissors?"

One tiny black eyebrow quirked up. "Why?"

"I think I need to cut my hair. It's getting a little too long. Longer hair means longer fur. It's just easiest to keep it short," I explained.

Alice's eyes went wide, like I just told her I wanted to impale babies on spikes for fun. "You want to cut it yourself?"

"Yeah? That a problem?"

Jasper smirked and mouthed, _Say yes to whatever she wants. _

"Would you let me do it?"

"Alice, seriously..."

"I promise I'll do a good job, just a short cut right? It'll be nothing, twenty, thirty minutes at the most." The tiny but formidable woman in front of me was about as hopeful as a little kid on Christmas morning. I had a feeling that it would be a very strong possibility if I turned her down that the lower lip would quiver and her eyes would grow large and pleading.

I eyed her, wondering just how much I could make her grovel. Jasper chuckled, catching on to the mischievous mood. "Don't be mean, Jake, you need a hair cut and I have a free moment or two before my conference call with my client. At least give me something to do until then. Pretty please?"

I shook my head and sighed. "Ah Alice, you're like a little kid begging your mother for a new toy, but sure, just be quick and not too short, please."

"Yay! You're almost as much of a pushover as Bella."

"Can it wait until after the game?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and gave a pointed glance at her husband. In a moment he had my king cornered. "How?"

"Check mate. You left your last rook in the perfect spot."

I rolled my eyes. Damn sneaky vampire. "Rematch later?"

Jasper smiled wide and a low laugh shook his shoulders. "You're on."

I followed the sprite to her bedroom. The vanity in the bathroom was monstrous and decked out in all things girly. How did Jasper live with all this? And what in the hell did she need that much hair goop for? "Damn, Alice. And I thought Amber had a ton of hair crap. You have her beaten by a mile."

Alice giggled and pulled out a small black roll. "Renesmee lets me trim her hair as she needs it. It keeps growing, you know," she explained. When I looked at her little set of shears of different sizes and ends, I was a little intimidated. I didn't know scissors came in so many shapes. "Sit," she instructed, patting the overly padded and very, very pink chair.

I sat and she grimaced. "What?"

"You're too tall. Slouch down for me."

Sliding down in the chair a little bit, I watched in her massive mirror as she began to work. Years ago I would have laughed when I saw a vampire's reflection in a mirror. Myths that Hollywood capitalized on were pretty much false in reality.

"So why did you let your hair get so long again? Last time you grew this out was before Edward and Bella got engaged."

"Well, back then I had a reason... now not so much. Really, I just didn't have time. Patrol, the garage, life on the Rez..."

"And taking up all of my niece's time..." Alice finished for me.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't ask her to come over, she just does. She knows she's welcome to come over whenever she wishes."

"She's over quite a bit," Alice countered. Clips of hair began falling around my feet and the shears made that little snip, snip, snip sound.

I chuckled. So like Alice. "Your point? If she's not at my house, she's at Billy's or over at Emily and Sam's. She's always somewhere on the Rez, and not always with me. I do work, you know," I reminded. This side of Alice I knew. She was fishing for information. In many ways I was very grateful that she couldn't see mine or Renesmee's future. The linchpin to Ness's entire idea of keeping things private and on the sly was due not only to Bella's help but also Alice's blindness with us.

I wished though, just wished that I could have fought just a little bit harder to get this relationship out in the open long before this. Alice and few others in the family had their suspicions but it seemed the only one who really figured it all out was Bella. A small bit of relief that at least someone knew how much I had fallen for Ness. Weird thing was I never thought I'd ever understand Bella's relationship with Edward, but it made a crazy amount of sense to me now.

Guess you have to find someone you'd die for to understand the depth of that kind of devotion.

"All done!" Alice announced.

"Seriously?"

"Yep, told you it would be quick and painless." She boasted, hoisting her tiny little self up on her vanity. I looked in the mirror. Gone was the shaggy hair and in place was a short crop instead. I ran a hand through it and smiled.

"Thanks, Alice."

"Anytime."

A moment later I went downstairs and out to the yard while Alice cleaned up her mess. I changed out by a tree and let the shift come over me. Now that I'd at least gotten some sleep, though not much, I'd at least be able to function in wolf form.

_Sleep well?_ Quil asked as soon as I was on four paws.

_Like a baby._

_You know, I never got the expression. Babies, well most of them, do not sleep through the night._

_Well, it still fits for me. Had a rough go. What's doing up there?_

_Whole lotta nothin'._

_Good. We want that. If anything, we want them back and unscathed ASAP._

_Roger that. _

Once the pack meeting was done, I set up a stronger patrol system. Rookies and veterans were going to work together for the most part. Leah, Embry, and I were to supervise in shifts. Always someone with some authority in the pack should be present just in case the line ever gets breached.

The time seemed to inch by, though it had been plenty of time for them to get to Volterra. They must be there now. I couldn't imagine just how they were going to do this. How much sweet talkin' Edward and Carlisle were going to have to do to get them out of there.

The thoughts of the three of them trapped in that ancient city kept turning around in my head, making it spin. I had to find a way to distract myself again. Chess games with Jasper could only do so much. I needed to do something. Build something or tear it apart. Manual labor always had a way of clearing my head of all the cobwebs inside. I made my way over to the garage.

One of the best things about having an in with the Cullens was the access to the cars. All modified and upgraded with the best of the best. A car lover's wet dream. I could hear Rosalie cranking away on something in there. Awesome._ Not._ Working on cars was a love of mine and dealing with a very pissy Rosalie Hale was decidedly not. Taking a breath, I ducked inside the garage.

"What do you want?" she snapped, looking up from under the hood of the R8.

"Need something to do."

"You can't go annoy someone else?"

I rolled my eyes. "Working on cars helps clear my head. Do you mind if I help?"

"I don't need your help."

"Rosalie, I wasn't saying you needed it. I was offering it. Christ." I sighed in annoyance. I could be a patient man but there was just something about her that made me feel like I was listening to nails on a chalkboard.

Rosalie went back to work on the car to what looked like adding more oomph to the engine. Like it needed it. It wasn't the V-12 Aston Martin or a Ferrari but it was one of the best sports cars I'd ever seen in person. A moment later she relented, sliding the tool box over on it's wheels. "Grab a set and get to work. It's a mostly computerized system, you know how to handle that?"

"Definitely. I see a few of those systems in the garage. Kind of takes the fun out of tearing apart an engine." Getting to work was easy. I noticed quickly that it was rather silent in the garage. I filled the void with inane chatter, telling Blondie things that she probably didn't give a second thought on a normal day.

"Do you always talk this much?" she asked about fifteen minutes into my ramble.

I didn't know whether she was asking rhetorically or literally so I went with the latter. "I tend to, yes. I might not talk as much if it were a two way conversation instead of talking to dead air." I didn't want to be rude. I didn't hate the woman but she did grate on my nerves from time to time. Okay, well, all the time. This time, though, things were different. Everyone was going through the separation. Family was across the world, risking everything for the way of life Carlisle has lived for nearly four centuries.

She harrumphed and flicked her hair over her shoulder. Annoying as ever. I tried to shut up after that, but I could only do it for so long. Everything was bubbling up and coming out word vomit style for a reason that I had no idea about.

"I miss them, too," I blurted out. Her sharp, gold eyes flashed up to my face. "Just sayin'. I know you wouldn't be out here throwing yourself into the modifications if everything was a-okay."

Flippant and furious, she passed off my observation. She was trying to prove that idea false but really only making it true."You don't know what you're talking about."

An amused chuckle ripped from my throat. "Yeah, I do. Do you think I'm not freaking out that she's there? She's my imprint, you know. I get what you're going through on a strong level. It's your family there in possible danger.

Defeated, the blonde closed her eyes, setting down her socket wrench. "Of course I'm scared. My kind doesn't take change too easily. Losing Nessie would be horrible. She and Emmett have been the few people that make this life worth living for me. To lose either of them or even my brother and adopted father would be a fate I never want to experience. I choose not to dwell on it. I can't control this and it'll just make me go insane if I try to exert control over an uncontrollable situation."

"I get that. I do. I just... I can't get it out of my head."

Rosalie's face softened a look I'd never seen directed at me. "You know, when you're not being the most annoying person on the planet, you're actually not half bad."

The sentiment, though laced with backhanded compliments and a dash of spite, was probably the nicest thing Blondie had ever said to me. "Thanks, I think."

She chuckled and shrugged. "I know I've never been very nice to you. I never liked you. I saw the disdain you had for my family and how you tried to ruin the happiness of my brother and I didn't like you at all. Then when Bella was pregnant, and you sided with Edward and tried to force her into a choice out of fear... that pissed me off."

"Not one of my finer moments. I didn't even understand what I was feeling back then. I couldn't leave even though it was killing me to watch Bella suffer so much. I just physically couldn't do it."

"That was Ness, wasn't it?"

I nodded. "Hindsight's a bitch."

"No kidding. You realize that Bella is a rare exception in the vampire world. She's one of the few who ever chose to be turned."

"You didn't want this? To stay young and pretty forever?"

She chuckled wryly. "Hardly. I had my life all mapped out. I was engaged and happy when I had everything taken from me. Hindsight really is very clear. The man I was engaged to, along with his friends raped, beat, and left me for dead in the street the night Carlisle found me. He did what he thought was right, not knowing that I just wanted to die."

"Ness told me you never wanted this, but I didn't know you went through that." I replied, unsure of what to say. Really what do you say to something like that? Even still what kind of a bastard would do such a thing to a woman he supposedly loved?

She nodded. "So much like her father sometimes," she mused with an indulgent smile. "Emmett made things better. Easier. I didn't come to terms with my change and the fact I could no longer have children until Bella came home pregnant. You think I wanted Bella to die? No. I was prepared to take care of Renesmee should that have happened. Edward misconstrued that as a plan to ensure Bella's death. He may be able to see into my head, but sometimes he can't see the forest for the trees.

Ness's presence in this family has only made things better. She's made this family whole and brought us a greater security in our lifestyle. The humanity in her reminds me and the rest of us of why we abstain."

I didn't know what to make of this. The ice queen with a heart? I think Hell has finally frozen over, heh, maybe the Seahawks really have a chance at the Super Bowl then next season. "Never thought of it that way."

"Well you've never seen it from my perspective."

"Didn't know that I should have tried. You don't seem to let people in at all."

"That's because I don't. People tend to disappoint me. Also it's just easier to avoid temptation by keeping most people at a firm distance," she explained, drawing her attention back to the car in front of her.

I looked down at my hands for a moment. "That's a pretty closed off way to live."

"It is. However, it's what I know." And what a sad existence that must be. To constantly push people away? I understood it from a temptation level. Even a veggie vamp with decades of experience of 'just say no' would find it difficult to resist the temptation of human blood.

A different silence fell over us as we settled back into the project at hand. Before today I never really gave much thought to Rosalie ever being more than just an annoyance I dealt with to be near Renesmee. Yet she'd shared something private and horrific from her past. "Thanks, Rosalie, you know, for sharing."

The corner of her mouth turned up. "Rose."

"What?"

Her smile grew wider as she explained. "Close friends and family call me Rose."

"Rose," I said, testing out the sound. It was surprisingly easy. Weird, I never imagined being considered either a friend or a family member by her, but I liked it just the same.

* * *

><p>The entire house froze when Esme's cell phone rang. Esme somehow removed herself from suspended animation to answer it. "Carlisle?" Her shoulders sagged in relief and she let out a few dry sobs.<p>

I couldn't imagine what it felt like to cry without tears. Must be weird. Everyone looked to her for answers when Bella's cell phone was next. I stared at my phone, willing it to ring. Maybe she was sleeping. I couldn't begrudge her that. She needed sleep as much as I did. Even still, I wanted to hear her voice to know she's okay. Bella's icy hand came to my shoulder, I looked up and she grinned, mouthing _They're okay, she's okay. _All the air left my lungs in a huge sigh of relief. "Edward, what did Aro want?" she asked. "Oh, okay, sure, long story. I get it. Is everything okay though?... You're not sure? But you're okay and Ness is? Okay. Yes, we'll be there to pick you three up. Well come and get it then. Bring our girl home safe. I love you, too."

I tried not to listen in on the one sided conversation but I couldn't help it. Any information about Ness was absolutely critical to me right now. The pain eased slightly when I knew she was okay. If only I could hear her phone lit up then, her face coming across the screen. _Perfect timing. _

"Ness?" The need to hear her voice and see her face grew more with just the fact she was on the other end of the line. What a whipped sap I've become. But I knew I wouldn't change it. Not for a second. I didn't know if that was just because of the loss of my free will when it came to certain things, or the fact I'd fallen in love with her, completely on my own without any provocation or expectation from her. Maybe it had started because she cared for me more than any platonic friendship, but it'd grown organically from there for me. Completely unchecked.

"Hi," she answered. I closed my eyes and let the sound roll around in my head. "I wanted to call and let you know we're on the way back to Seattle. I'm in New York," she explained. I glanced at my watch. How much longer until she's here? A flight from New York was a good five to six hours, depending on the weather, of course.

Just the sound of her voice, though, had me damn near giddy. She was safe and coming home. "I know, Bella and Esme are still on the phone with Edward and Carlisle," I replied, near delirious laughter. I had to be beyond delirium now and into insanity. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the crazy separation that was making me nuthouse material. Was that completely pathetic of me? To stay here going out of my mind with worry until she got back? In hindsight, it does just a bit. But could anyone really blame me? She's absolutely everything. To face the very real idea of losing her just as we're starting out...

"Jake..." Her voice cracked, full of either emotion or exhaustion, it was hard to tell which without her face near. Where Bella had always been an open book - Renesmee was doubly so. So easy to read, which made her so frustrating when she kept things to herself. "You shouldn't have, really, you have your own life to lead. What about the garage?"

Screw it. I got up and went out into the front yard. The joyous emotions in the house were too much. I'd be a mess soon if I didn't check myself. "Collin's been covering since you left. It's only been two days so far." I owed Collin, big time. And where the hell did she get off telling me I had my own life to lead? Didn't she get it? _She's my life. _Friends, family, the pack and work didn't mean as much as she did. The second I imprinted, everything else got pushed down a notch or two."'Sides, it's not a life without you," I confessed. _Idiot! Great way to make the girl feel guilty for leaving._

Her silence was proof of the guilt I'd caused. Awesome, add another mistake to the pile. Nothing like making your imprint feel guilty for trying to do the right thing. _Nice one, Jake._

"I know. I'll be counting the hours and minutes until I'm home."

Me too, honey. Me. Too.

"Five and a half," I remarked back to her. Since we're being honest, might as well 'fess up that I would be eagerly counting down 'til I could see her again. "It's been ridiculous here without you. Everyone's been anxious. Poor Jasper needs a vacation. The pack is keeping security up on the Rez just in case Demetri or whoever decides to make another appearance. I don't trust them not to come back. Caius wants the tribe eradicated, especially those with the wolf gene."

"There's, um, some things that I need to talk to you about when I get home," she added. I sighed, loudly and cussed under my breath. I hate it when she's like this. What's with the cryptic mumbo jumbo? Say what you mean, I silently pled. I guessed it was just as well. Anything that important would be better face-to-face.

"Can't talk to me about it on the phone?" I couldn't hide the disappointment. I was starved for information here. What did Aro want with her? What did he see in her? Obviously he wanted her for the guard. She's talented, after all, though her gift was more defensive than an offensive weapon.

"Not really, no. It's better if I explain in person," she assured me. I grumbled again. Logic me to death, why don't ya?

But still I pressed, desperate for any information. "What did the Volturi want?" Stood between two trees, just off the side of the meadow driveway. The outside world looked as normal as ever, which only served to piss me off more. How could everything be so normal when in reality it was anything but?

"Believe me, it's better if I tell you in person."

The anger boiled up in me. Had they done something? I punched the tree in front of me, hard but it only shook in its place. My hand though was the one bruised and bleeding. The pain felt good, felt real. The wounds and contusions were already healing. No bones had been broken. "They didn't try to hurt you, did they? If they did, I swear to Christ -" I could barely think the words let alone say them. If they had tried anything it would take a lot to stop me from taking the pack on a little business trip to Italy.

"No, no they didn't attempt anything. Not even Jane tried. I don't think Aro would have liked that very much. He was, umm, hospitable," she continued. Hospitable? Really? _Really?_

I laughed in annoyance. "Hospitable? Leeches like Aro are anything but accommodating, honey. But okay, I'll be here when you get home."

"Have you at least slept at all?"

"Have you?"

"Barely," she admitted. I didn't blame her. I bet any sleep she got was on the flight out there. Sleeping on planes, however, was always uncomfortable. Hardly comparable to waking up at home in La Push with her draped across my chest. Hair all tangled and in her face. _Soon. It wouldn't be much longer. _

"'Bout the same here. Bella has been worse, pacing back and forth so much that I think Esme has to redo the carpeting. If the only reason I exist wasn't in mortal danger, it would be hilarious."

And then I heard a sound I didn't think I'd hear for a while. She laughed, true it was muted and soft, but it was still a laugh. I couldn't help myself but I smiled so hard the corners of my mouth hurt. "I miss you."

Damn, did I miss her. "Miss you, too. More than I can ever explain."

"I understand, really," Did she really? Was she trying to tell me that she worked out whatever confusion she'd had? In the background I could hear something loud, like someone speaking over a loud speaker. "Jake, listen, I need to go, they've called up First Class to board. I'll see you very soon,"

"Okay. See you in a few hours then."

"See you."

I stared at the phone after the line went dead. She was okay. And more importantly, she'd kept her promise. She was coming back to me.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hope you all enjoyed! Look for an LIT update soon!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Here we go the last part of the outtake! Look for another outtake coming your way this fall. It will be apart of the FandomFightsFires compilation. It won't be quite this long but it will have lots of goodies! Also keep your inboxes open and checking them come monday because guess what? We're getting an LIT update! HOORAY! I'm almost done with ch 29 and my beta and I finished editing ch 26. I'm waiting until monday to post in the hopes that I get up through ch 30 done! Yes I've actually been working on LIT this summer in conjunction with getting the blog back up and running and getting schoolwork done. I'm crazy I realize this. Anyways here's a moment a lot of readers have waited for. Jacob's view of when she explained the Volturi and the big ILY. So enjoy!**

_Part songs: True Love Way by Kings of Leon, You Picked Me by A Fine Frenzy, and Cosmic Love by Florence + the Machine._

* * *

><p>Part Five<p>

"C'mon, Jake, we're heading out," Bella announced, smacking my knee with a magazine in her hand. If it had been Rosalie, I'd have expected a dog joke to go along with it. I got into the R8, rolling my eyes at how far my knees were up on the steering wheel. Renesmee may be on the tall side for a woman, but damn she was nearly a foot shorter than me. Rose chuckled when I asked her where the damn seat adjustment was. It wasn't on the side as usual. With the seat back as far as it would go, I made my way out to Seattle. Weaving through traffic was amazing with this car. No wonder Ness chose it. I was the first to arrive at the airport. Smirking when Bella and Esme pulled into the next spot open, just across the way from where I'd parked Ness's R8.

"You're worse than my husband," Bella said, stepping out of the AMG. I grinned widely at her. One of these days Edward and I needed a drag race.

"Oh, come on, like Esme didn't drive like a bat out of hell."

Esme snickered and shook her head at me. I shrugged. She glanced at her watch. "They should be landing within the hour. I checked the schedule and there were no delays."

The three of us didn't waste any time, going to the terminal and waiting, just like everyone else outside of security. Oh, the added annoyances of the TSA. I could see gift shops and a food court. "Are you hungry?" Esme asked, doing the Mom thing.

"I'm good, for now. Just antsy."

She smiled, wringing her hands. "We all are. It's difficult when someone you care about is in danger. We all know that far too well."

It was hard not to love a woman like Esme. Good to the core. She was one of those perennial maternal types, though she had no children of her own. Renesmee had explained to me what happened to her and I felt for her. She'd lost her only reason to live. I'd been faced with that possibility twice now. I didn't know what I'd do if it actually came to pass as it had for Esme. I kept myself busy for the thirty or so minutes until we saw their flight flash on the screen with one word that made things begin to fall back into place. _Arrived._

Not long now at all. A man looked out around in the crowd of people coming through, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. A woman came through the security, a sleeping child held against her. The man went to her and hugged her close. Guess we're not the only family being reunited today.

Amongst the crowd I could see Carlisle, then Edward followed by Renesmee. Dark circles were under her eyes and she looked almost haggard. Christ, had she slept at all? The pull intensified for a brief moment but the ties that held me to her lessened with every step toward us she took. Home. Safe. There wasn't much more I could ask for right now. Well...

She dropped her duffel just before she reached me. I pulled her into my arms the second she was close enough. She fit so perfectly. The shift in my universe that happened when I'd last left her here shifted back to its equilibrium. The aching burn subsided finally. Having her close by was the only cure for that. Burying her face into my chest, she raised on her tiptoes allowing me to pull her as close as possible.

_Safe. Here. Mine._

I leaned back, framing her face with my hands. Beautiful. I searched her face and the only unsettling things I saw were the signs of her extreme exhaustion. Her warm hand pressed against my skin._ I'm home. I'm here. I lo... I kept my promise. I'm here. _She said the obvious truth over and over.

She was home, safe and in my arms where she belonged. It was selfish, I know. I don't care if she chooses to leave me one day. I don't care if I'll get broken again. This was worth it, damn it. Every ounce of pain, every separation was worth it to have her here for however long.

A cleared throat brought us back to the present, to reality. I glanced over and saw Edward's smirking face. That was different. I passed off the weird looks, letting Renesmee hug her mother and grandmother. A family made whole again, yet I still felt like an outsider. I'd never really belong with them. I wasn't supposed to belong. Vampires and wolves weren't meant to mix but somehow fate decided otherwise.

Ness returned to my side her, arm sliding around mine. The feel of her fingertips on my forearm made my head swim just a little bit. Proximity felt right. The pain of the past few days was all but gone. Amazing what just having her near did for me. I picked up her duffel, much to her dismay. _Deal with it, honey._ Figures I imprint on a girl who frowns on chivalry like it's a commentary on her capability and not because I'm trying to show her that I love her. Before long the six of us were headed back to the parking garage. The smell of rain, human, vampire, and hybrid was welcoming. Never thought that was possible. Apparently I was wrong about a lot of things.

"Renesmee?" Edward called out to us as we settled on either side of the R8. Edward had that stern father knows best face goin' on. I began to wonder if somehow she slipped and the secret of our relationship came out while they were gone. But the steely look was what confused me. Years ago Edward had told me that he was okay with a relationship coming to fruition between her and I. Had that changed? "Don't forget what we talked about. Jacob, take her straight home," he instructed.

I nodded. Definitely didn't want to argue with him when he got like this. It just created more annoyance for everyone else around him. Ness laughed as we got into the car. I looked at her strangely. From rolling her eyes at her father like a normal teenager, to giggling at me? The exhaustion was bordering on delirium now. I threw the car into reverse and placed a hand on the back of her chair. "What?" I asked, perplexed as to the swift mood swing.

Leaning toward me, I caught her scent again, making the logical side of my brain go silent. Not a good idea to get aroused while driving and no way to take care of it. "You're really too tall, Jacob, we're going to need to custom fit a car for you someday," she mused, giggling like she was stoned. I chuckled right along with her. Her laugh was always infectious, especially when sleep deprived. "Are we taking the long way?" She asked as we pulled out of the garage and headed toward the highway. The scenic drive would be good for us. She could even take a nap if she wanted to. I was, however, chomping at the bit for information about what happened. Where I was overjoyed that she came home safe and unharmed, I wanted to know why she had to go in the first place and just how they'd gotten out of there unscathed. My experience with the Volturi was limited at best, but those bloodsuckers loved their political intrigue like they loved drinking human blood. They thrived on that shit.

"Yeah, figured we'd get time to talk, and you could tell me what the hell happened in Volterra," I practically growled. What a way to start a conversation off. This was going to end up in a big argument I could feel it.

"Maybe you should pull over," she offered. I didn't want to pull over. The simple idea that she wanted me to told me that whatever the fuck happened in Volterra was going to piss me off and she didn't want me to phase in her car. I can imagine it now, Ness having to call Charlie to bring the jaws of life because there's a horse sized wolf snarling and snapping unable to get out because my rage would be too great to phase back. Not to mention the potential human fallout of such an event.

"No, we have plenty of time," I said as nonchalantly as I could muster. It didn't seem to convince her. She continued the conversation talking about anything and everything but the Volturi and their desires for more power.

"How's your father doing?"

My leg began to bob nervously against the door. From one touchy subject to the next. "Okay. Has to go in for blood work soon. They said he might qualify for some physical therapy to help alleviate some of the neuropathy. I'm just worried they're going to have to cut something off," I rambled, rubbing a hand over my face. The idea of my father growing older, getting more frail and deteriorating over time worried me greatly. It was right up there with what Ness experienced in Volterra.

"I'm sorry. It's not easy with diabetes, especially when it's already gotten to the point where he can't walk."

"He hasn't been able to walk for years. Really, I'm surprised he hasn't gotten some crazy flesh eating infection in his feet, but I'm just worried," As any son would be. This was the hard part I'd have to face with choosing to live forever. Leaving behind my human family for an immortal one would be difficult and emotional when each relative would hit their golden years. I knew it was coming eventually, it was something I'd have to prepare for. I knew, though, that I'd be okay as long as Renesmee was with me to be there for me. Completely selfish to just expect her to be there for me but that's what a couple did, didn't they? They were each other's anchors when times got rough.

"I can tell." She reached out taking my hand off the shift, and laced our fingers. I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second, just long enough to revel in that soft skin but not enough to where we'd get in an accident. I brought her hand up and brushed my lips across her knuckles. Her skin grew warmer at the sensation of my kiss. Imagine her skin did this if I kissed her other places, not just her hand, her face, or neck. I glanced toward her face, seeing her cheeks were darker pink than the normal blush. Huh, maybe she was thinking along the same indecent lines I was. "Just ask already."

I cleared my throat, realizing she was referring to Italy and not how badly I wanted to christen this car. "What happened?"

She sighed, straightening herself in the passenger seat. "Aro offered me a position with the guard. We knew that was going to happen, but what I didn't realize is what he thought would entice me to join them. He thought a little archaic form of diplomacy would work to bind my family to their _coven_."

I tensed as she spoke. An offer to join the guard was something I knew would happen. Her gift was defensive, but strong. Jasper had kept her well trained in hand-to-hand combat over the years. Of course Aro would salivate over having a gifted, well trained lemming just like the rest of his little brigade.

"What did he offer?" I asked. _Fuck._ I was beginning to tremble. _Get control over yourself. _I did not need to phase. Not happening.

"Maybe you really should pull over." There she was, winning the argument with logic yet again.

Gritting my teeth I spat back at her, "Just tell me." I felt my arms begin to vibrate. _No, no no! Stay calm, focus on driving!_

"Jacob, please, you won't like it. I don't want you to phase in my car and hurt yourself," she pled, confirming that I was indeed going to get pissed off by this news. I really want to kill that leech. Rip him limb from stony limb and watch the crystalline corpse burn. I pulled over, throwing on the hazard lights and slammed on the brakes. I dropped her hand and got out, slamming the door into it's frame. I crossed my arms over my chest, and attempted to breathe deeply. The smell of rain, asphalt and exhaust from the road swirled my senses. I could only feel the anger grow instead of subside.

_You need her. _Yeah, I do. And wasn't that the most emasculating thing to think. I needed her to help me calm down. Emasculating but true. Her scent, her presence grounded me. She came around to the side of the car. So beautiful. She looked almost frightened of what might happen should I lose control. "Okay, we're stopped now. What the _hell_ did that bloodsucker offer?" I grimaced at myself. Don't take your anger out on her. She's the innocent in all of this. I hardly ever spoke the more colorful terms the wolves used for vampires. But right now she wasn't half vampire to me. She was just my girl and I wanted to protect her. Run away with her and keep her from the Volturi at all costs.

She was all wary brown eyes and concern upon her brow. God, I love her. "Aro told me what he'd been experimenting with. They found Joham a few years back, maybe even just after the confrontation – they weren't very clear. Apparently, little Pehuen's father is Demetri, Aro's prized tracker," she said. My worst fear had been confirmed. Aro wanted her to be a baby factory, didn't he? "He said it was a test, to prove the fertility of female hybrids. He said he wanted to see so he could find some way to bind our two covens together."

Balling my fists I fought the urge to punch something, a tree, her car... "Are you saying he wants you to – " I couldn't say it out loud, but essentially he wanted her to be a concubine. A receptacle for vampire sperm._ I really need to kill that bastard._

Her head nodded in the affirmative. All the air in the universe was suddenly sucked out. I could feel the rage, pure undiluted murderous rage begin to pulse through my blood. "Yes, he wanted to arrange a marriage so to speak. Gifted hybrid with a gifted vampire to make gifted super hybrids or something like that. He wanted to mate me with Alec. I guess he thought since he's the most powerful member of the guard and I'm a talented hybrid that it made total sense. Talented parents make a talented baby."

"You told them no, right?" I asked, desperate to hear that she'd told them no, outright and absolute. "Right?" I pressed, unable to control my voice from lifting almost a full octave.

"I told them I would think about it."

My head swam. What? Why on Earth? "Why would you do that?"

"I had a promise to keep, remember?" she reminded.

"You told them maybe, to keep your promise to me?" I felt the rage renew and begin to boil over. I struggled to tamper it down. I couldn't phase. I wouldn't. Emily's scarred face and arm flashed through my head. Do not do that to Renesmee. I'd run into the woods for an hour if I had to. Anything to keep her safe from this roaring fury inside of me.

"I had to. It was the only way we'd get out of there without giving them what they wanted. They'll be here in six months to hear my answer. It was the only way." She came closer while I remained still. I wanted to reach out to her but I couldn't trust myself. What I think would be a hand going to caress her face could be a wolf paw with razor sharp claws. "It was the only way I could say no without them killing us. It was already too dangerous. When Aro touched my hand, he saw everything. Everything that's changed between you and me – that I hid it from my family. Marcus seems to think I have a choice when it comes to you."

Ain't that the truth. I'd always make sure she knew she had choices. If she chose to leave me, though the pain would hurt beyond all measure, I'd let her go. After all, wasn't the old adage if you love something let it go? "You know you always do. If you don't want this – don't want me I'll – " She raised her hand stopping my response.

She shook her head, dismissing my affirmation that she would always have a choice in who she'd mate with. Moving closer until the proximity made me want to just pull her small body into mine. Her fingertips graced the side of my face. I leaned into the warmth, knowing she was about to show me what she was trying to explain. "I don't want a choice. I want _you_. Don't you get that? I could never say yes to them. Aro, when he touched my hand, the things he saw... He made me realize something." She stopped talking audibly and let her memories speak.

At first they were soundless, an image of what looked like a throne room, Aro, Marcus and Caius, their wives and the guard were present to receive them. It fast forwarded then, through the pleasantries and old tradition. The sound grew more, almost like I was watching a movie inside of my head.

Aro looked entirely curious._ "Yes, you should discuss it with your family. I must say: I am impressed with your maturity and concern for your loved ones. I am most curious as to how you've grown these past years. Would you mind indulging an old man?" _he asked, his palm out, and ready_. _Edward came into view for the briefest moment. He nodded, telling her to do what Aro asked_._

_After all, it would seem like I was hiding something if I didn't. I also was smart enough to know that Aro's inquisitiveness was more linked to why I had forestalled a rejection or acceptance of his offer._

Her hand trembled as she placed it into his greedy hand with nearly translucent skin. Curiosity was like a drug with that leech as I watched from Renesmee's point of view. His icy hand brought her hand to his face, drinking in every memory and thought of her life over the past sixteen years.

Intermixed with the thoughts of her maturation from happy child to beautiful woman were the stolen glances between us. These were intimate moments that we both had fought so hard to keep under wraps for so long. Everything, there was nothing he didn't see from the numerous memories in her head of my voice, telling her how in love with her I am to the kisses and touches that I didn't want anyone to ever memory registered Edward's gasp_. _Scared for their survival.

_I hadn't told him. In all my focusing to get us out of Volterra, I hadn't realized that this was the one thing that could doom us. Jacob was a wolf, I'm a vampire hybrid – our kinds were not intended to mix. But he had imprinted on me, loved me and I..._

Aro's eyes shot open, dropping her hand._ "Oh," _he gasped, turning to his brothers._ "My brothers, it seems we are too late with our proposal..." _he paused._ "Renesmee appears to already be in love."_

I tried to catch my breath but I couldn't. Was she? Was she trying to tell me that she loved me too? The pads of her fingertips swept along the edge of my jaw. Her eyes grew soft and warm, bringing me out of her memories and back to the present. Suddenly I was too aware of my heart pounding in my chest. Was it true? "Don't you see? That's what I've been trying to tell you. I could never tell them yes. Never accept their offer because I'm in love with you," she declared. The words rolled around in my head knocking out all functionality like a power surge making all the lights in a city block go out.

_...because I'm in love with you. _

My brain had completely shut off. My heart on the other hand was humming with the most delicious ache I'd ever felt. She loved me. She's in love with me. No one had ever said that without some sort of caveat attached.

When I didn't answer, dumbly staring at this perfect person, the woman I love continued to ramble, questioning my sanity. "Did you really think I could agree to their offer? After everything that's changed between you and I... And I realize now that I've loved you for so long now. I was completely confused because I couldn't see that everything I was feeling was really just one thing." Again with the l-word. The connection between my mouth and brain didn't seem to work anymore. My brain, now rebooted, screamed at me to return the sentiment. Yet I stood here stunned, awed but the sound of those words rolling off her tongue. "Now would be a good time to say something."

I pulled her into my chest, breathing in that scent. It made the declaration all the more real. I felt odd, but wonderful all the same. Loved and not passed over. For once I was enough. My eyes began to sting again. This time I don't really think I cared if I cried or not. "I love you, too. I'm sorry I just...I've never heard that without..."

"Without a huge 'but' attached to it?" Her eyes welled with tears, yet the smile on her face told me these were not sadness, or anxiety, but of happiness. I felt the heat rise to my face. Embarrassing to remind her of how I'd been broken before her. "No buts here," she replied, standing as tall as she could, up on her tiptoes. "Ever."

I smiled so wide it hurt, before claiming her mouth. She moaned into the kiss and let me take over, wrapping her arms around my neck to keep herself from sliding down onto the ground. I took initiative then using my arms to lift her so her face was level with mine. I turned her, pressing her back into her car as she wrapped her legs around my waist. Despite the public location this felt right, it felt decadent and consuming. I wanted nothing more than to show her everything right here, right now. I could imagine pushing her into the cramped backseat of her car, getting her jeans off would be the challenge in such a small space, but as soon as I could manage it, I'd show her just how flawless I found her. I could almost hear the breathy sighs, my name from her lips. Using the car for an anchor and one hand under her knee, I was able to move one hand up, and under her jacket, then her shirt, and across her breasts. She arched, her legs tightening around my waist. _Ungh. _God, what I wouldn't give to feel her come. The sound of her sigh shot straight through me.

_I want her. Need her. Love her. _

I broke the kiss, needing to see her eyes. Plumes of breath formed a white smoke-like haze around us in the cold. "I love you," I told her, watching her chocolate brown eyes light up with the same emotion I'd just declared. No one would ever love her as much as I do.

"And I love you," She mirrored, giving me that small crooked grin I loved so much. _She loved me._ I laughed, my vision going hazy with tears clouding them. She kissed me again, bringing back the heat of the kiss I'd ended just a moment before. I wanted to keep going, to do all the things I imagined, and hoped she'd thought of a time or two. But we were outside - on a busy highway - hardly the place to take anything further even though we both craved more.

Ness didn't seem to care about the location, or how salaciously we were wrapped around one another. _Woman after my own heart, literally. _I sighed. How was I going to push her away after her proclamation? "Ness, we should..." I attempted, kissing along her jaw to her earlobe, taking it between my teeth. She nodded, half-heartedly agreeing. We did need to get back soon. Her family would be wondering.

With trepidation and a groan I set her down keeping her pinned between me and the car. Torturing myself with the feel of the length of her body sliding down til her feet were back on firm asphalt. Letting her go, I watched as she walked around to her side of the car. Just as she reached the passenger side it dawned on me. The sound of Edward's gasp wasn't just in fear of their own survival. If Aro had seen her thoughts, the images and memories of she and I together, then that meant... A loud bellowing laugh gurgled up from my throat at the thought. No wonder Edward was surly. Sure, he was cool with the idea of us, he'd told me that years ago but to be kept in the dark only to have Aro find out first? Yeah, I can see where that'd frost him. "Wait. If Aro saw everything that's happened between you and me, then so did your father."

"Yep, that's what I'm supposed to do now. I have to go face the firing squad."

* * *

><p>It was much later in the evening, after a sizeable dinner, courtesy of Esme, and the long talk with the family I found myself sprawled on Renesmee's couch in her bedroom while she showered away the stress and smell of airports. I was trying, and failing to not imagine her in the shower. If we were back in La Push, I didn't know if I could trust myself not to strip down and join her. However, the fact we were in Hoquiam instilled the least bit of propriety. Thank God for Bella's shield, though. Without that? Right now I'd probably be hearing a lot of frustrated sighs and grumbling from downstairs. Fathers shouldn't hear the impure thoughts of their daughter's boyfriend.<p>

_Boyfriend_, the word itself made me grin in my exhausted haze. It seemed inadequate but for lack of a better term, that's what I am. Her's completely and wholly.

The water shut off and I waited patiently, wondering if she'd come out fully dressed or in just a towel. I kind of hoped for the latter but was content even with the former as she stepped out of the steamy room, towel at the side of her head, trying to wring the water from her curls. My eyes were almost closed, to where the casual observer would think I was sleeping, instead of getting a free unadulterated view of my girlfriend all freshly showered. She came over and I kept still, letting her nudge me with her leg. I opened my eyes. The light stung reminding me just how tired I was. Not sleeping much for three to four days was not a smart idea. But I'd have done it all over again just to hear her say that she loved me, again and again. I sat up rubbing the stinging sensation from my eyes with little success.

"You fell asleep?" she asked, tossing the damp towel back inside her en suite bathroom.

"I didn't sleep a whole lot the past couple of nights," I admitted, unashamed and with a hoarse voice. Her face hardened for a moment, giving me that expression that spoke volumes of compassionate concern.

"Neither did I," she countered. I narrowed my eyes at her. She needed her sleep. I could survive without it in times of need, but she definitely needed it even more than I did.

"Its one thing if I'm losing sleep over you being gone. It's another if you do," I scolded. She shrugged that said quite simply _what's done is done, deal with it_, in just the simple up and down movement of her shoulders. She climbed onto the couch with me. I repositioned against the armrest, letting her lean her back against my chest. I sighed, feeling her weight against my chest, her legs tangled with mine and her hips against my stomach. Wrapping my arms around her, she tangled her arms in, grabbing my hands and playing with my fingers. This was my little slice of Heaven. Her body against mine. I'd sleep better than I would have without her. She leaned farther back, lining her temple with my jaw. I leaned in as well. Holding her to me as close as we could get for now.

"It was torture, you know. Not knowing if you'd be okay, if you'd make it home," I told her. She had to know how hard it was to just let her go. I knew now it wasn't just the pull of the imprint anymore. I loved her exponentially more than what the imprint compelled me to feel. Yet only made it stronger, fortifying the steel cables, cementing us together as not just friends, not just lovers but mates. Was this what the vamp mating thing felt like?

A hand came to my face, showing me how tumultuous it was for her. She thought she felt the pull too, and maybe that was true. A pull from her to me, singular and independent of the imprint. But it wasn't just the pull of the bonds that lay between us. She loved me as I loved her. "I guess I really understand why you want to move with us to Edmonton," she mused.

I snorted at her words. _Now she gets it._ I brushed my lips to her temple. Wordlessly telling her in some small part what I was almost too tired to say aloud. _I love you. _I played with her wet ringlets, wrapping them around my fingers. _I'm glad you're home, honey. _I tightened my embrace around her, keeping her here, bound to me where she belonged and where she wanted to be. _Please don't ever leave me again. _Supremely happy in the fact that both her desire and mine agreed.

Her hand dropped from my face and rejoined the one of mine on her stomach. Both of us could feel the exhaustion bearing down, but what little energy she had left she used to turn her face towards me and kissed just along my jaw. I tightened my grip on her and all the air leaving my lungs in a loud rush. She smiled against my skin and whispered, "I love you, too." Sleep was coming for us both, waiting to take us and force us to give in and recharge. Almost asleep but still just barely awake, her voice rang in my ear. "Question..."

"Hmm?" I hummed.

"How are you and Rose all buddy-buddy now? When did that happen?"

I shook in quiet laughter, the exhaustion upping the silliness of her question to eleven. Of course she'd ask about that now? Needless to say it was a bit surprising for her, to come home and find out that Rose and I were suddenly cool with one another. If someone had told me a few days ago that would happen I'd have laughed in their face. "I wouldn't say we're best friends all of a sudden, hardly. But we're fine now. We came to a mutual understanding of each other. She took the three of you being gone pretty hard and I could sympathize with that. You're the most important thing to me. I think she sees that now."

"But you two hate each other," she countered. She was right, we did have a love/hate relationship for the longest time. It was different now. The ice queen and the dog had somehow made amends.

"I wouldn't say hate, but we do act like typical siblings, I guess. She was sulking in the garage and I needed something to occupy myself with, so I went in the garage and she was tearing apart your R8 to work on the modifications. I offered to help. She wasn't very receptive at first, but turned out we got several of the modifications done before you came home."

"She let you help her? She barely lets Emmett help her aside from holding up a car like a jack." Over-exhausted laughter overtook me again. I could just imagine Em holding a car up with one hand. Though he probably did it just for the view of watching his mate work on a car. I didn't blame him, the idea of Ness with a socket wrench in her hands smeared with motor oil and grease was definitely appealing.

"I guess she saw that I wasn't going away. The distraction helped. I could only do so much between overseeing patrols and running pack meetings from the porch. Everyone was griping about me, watching over patrols because I couldn't stop worrying about you. Really, I was nearly useless."

"I'm sorry. It wasn't easy for me either. But I had a promise to keep and I did," she added, trying and failing to bite back a yawn.

I grinned and kissed her temple once more. Selfish pride surged through me. She'd kept a promise to me. Returned to _me_. The fact she loved me was a heady tonic, and it was going straight to my ego, making it grin all Cheshire-like. "That you did, and you have no idea how happy that makes me."

"That makes me happy too," she murmured. Her eyelids were drifting closed. I settled in, letting the gentle thrum of her heart lull me under. Just as we both were about to fall asleep, she spoke again. "By the way, I like what Alice did to your hair," she whispered, reminding me that Alice had gotten a little snippy with the scissors. I chuckled long and low, finding her hand and tangling our fingers as I let sleep finally overwhelm me.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you all enjoyed this massive outtake! It was for a good cause after all!<strong>


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